Everyday Life with Ultimate Girls
by wesst1
Summary: Naegi Makoto, according to Ishimaru a good name, a strong name. He forgot that Makoto is also an androgynous name. When Fujisaki Chihiro announced to the world that he was male, Naegi didn't think anything of it. Being selected to attend Hope's Peak late, well better late than never. But that was the start of Naegi Makoto's Everyday Life with Ultimate Girls. NaegixHarem.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Everyday Life at the Ultimate School

* * *

 **Hello Dear Readers!**

 **This is my first attempt at a Danganronpa fic so I hope you will all enjoy it. As you have probably guessed from the title it is a non-despair au, Naegi harem fic. I plan to keep it pretty tame, but we'll see what happens. This idea came to me after watching "Everyday Life with Monster Girls" and reading "The Luckster and his Luck" by Jibster; "The Unlucky Luckster and the 77** **th** **Class" by Veos G17; and "King of Hope" by Putain de Plagieur. If you have yet to check any of those out I highly recommend all of them, just in case you didn't catch that.**

 **I wish I owned Danganronpa, but maybe it's better that I don't.**

 **It's been a while since my last fic, so I hope I remember how to do this.**

* * *

"And that should do it," a young man said as he finished piling pancakes onto a plate. _I know they said I don't have to do this anymore, but I like taking care of them,_ he thought as he carried the plate into what looked like dining room. Before setting it down he yelled, "Breakfast is ready girls!"

A large group of girls took a place at the table and with a chorus of "Itadakimasu!" they joined the young man for the meal.

About halfway through breakfast the young man, remembering that they all had the day off, asked what everyone planned to do that day.

An innocent enough question, with innocent intentions, but it started of a series of demands from everyone else present.

"Actually, Naegi-kun, could you come with me to the pool? I need you to time my breast stroke."

"I was going to ask Naegi-kun to model for a photography session today."

"Tsh, if it's modeling he should spend the day with me. Naegi-kun, join us at the mall, your queen will model any outfit that you desire."

"Know your place. Naegi-kun, we should plan for our trip to Novoselic. Once there we will capture the Golden Makango and be acknowledged as the Royal Couple."

"But-but Ibuki wants Makoto-chan to listen to her new song, she was thinking of him the whole time she wrote it."

"Naegi-kun, wouldn't you rather hear me sing for you than listen to a loud electric guitar?"

"No, Naegi-onii should watch me dance."

"Naegi-kun, I'd like it if you came to the arcade with me…I think."

"I have found a casino with no minimum gambling age, my precious B-rank and I will be relieving people of their money there."

"Naegi-kun, I think you should take this time to learn a method of self-defense. I would be more than happy to show you the finer points of swordplay."

"Naegi-kun, if you practice with me I could teach you self-defense and all sorts of survival techniques."

"If it's fighting, Naegi-kun should just throw down with me. Winner gets to cop a feel."

"I-I w-was hoping Naegi-kun and I could restock the infirmary. I'm sorry, please forgive me!"

"I have some cases I need to go over. I'm sure we could solve them together, Naegi-kun."

"Sorry my little rotten oranges, Naegi-kun and I are going to do a one-on-one evaluation, that just so happens to take the form of a romantic picnic."

More demands were made and the young man, Naegi Makoto just shook his head and smiled. These girls were his closest friends and it had been like this every morning for some time now. These girls, his dorm mates, would argue for a while and then everything would work out somehow. He wasn't sure what he did that was amazing enough to gain the attention of these girls and when he met them, he wasn't sure that they would ever like or trust him given the circumstances at that time. Everything leading up to this was a precious memory and he remembered it so very clearly.

* * *

 _Naegi Makoto's First Day_

In front of a school in the center of a large city a young man stood at the gate.

 _Hope's Peak Academy. The school that brings the best students from every field imaginable._

 _If you come here and manage to graduate, you'll be set for life. It was built to raise hope in the nation's future, which makes Hope's Peak a perfectly fitting name."_

 _"There are two things you need attend this school. One, you need to be a high school student already, and two, you need to be the best at what you do. No ordinary student can come here. In order to be enrolled, you have to be sought out._

 _So how does someone like me got into a school like this? Well…_

"Hey buddy, are you just going to stand there staring or are you going to go in?" a voice said, interrupting the boy's inner monologue.

The boy in question had thin and petite build, being a little on the short side. He had spiky, desaturated brown hair with a prominent ahoge, and washed-out hazel eyes. He wore a zipped-up dull green hoodie with a red stripe along the zipper, an open black jacket with gold buttons over the hoodie, black jeans, and red sneakers with white toes.

Feeling embarrassed, the boy turned to apologize. When he did he was met by the sight of two girls his age. One was a girl with black hair in a bob, pale blue eyes, and freckles in a basic school girl uniform. The other was a girl with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes in a dark cardigan and mini skirt.

"Sorry about that. My name is Naegi Makoto, I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student and I guess I'm just nervous about my first day," the boy, Naegi, said as he smiled nervously and extended his hand in greeting.

"It's our first day too, but you don't see us gawking," the strawberry blonde said, not moving to take his hand. The other girl just stood there watching, not showing any hint of emotion.

When he realized neither girl was going to shake his hand he let his arm fall to his side. Taking a good look at the girls, he realized that he recognized one of them.

"Hey, you're Enoshima Junko, aren't you?" he asked.

"That is correct mortal, we are the Ultimate Fashionista. Blessed with an adorable face and a perfect body, Enoshima Junko-chan!" the blonde, Enoshima, said as she struck a pose.

"I thought so, I doubt there's anyone out there who doesn't know who you are," Naegi said. He then turned to the other girl and continued, "I'm afraid I don't recognize you. I tried to research all of my classmates online but I'm drawing a blank."

Just as the girl was about to introduce herself, Enoshima answered for her, "This is my disappointing older sister, you can call her 'Girl-X' or 'Hey you' or whatever."

The girl didn't seem to mind what Enoshima said, but Naegi did. "Enoshima, just because she's you sister doesn't mean you can bully her." He asked again, this time with a kind smile and an understanding look in his eyes, "Now, what is your name?"

Whether it was how Naegi looked at her or that he had stood up for her, the girl went from a stoic sentry to blushing, stuttering mess, "U-ultimate Soldier, the I-ikusaba Mukuro, I mean…"

Oblivious to the effect that he had on her, Naegi said, "Ikusaba Mukuro. I think that's a really cool name." He continued, "I feel your pain, I have a little sister myself. We should definitely swap older sibling stories sometime."

Not trusting her voice, Ikusaba just nodded.

"Great, I'll see you both inside. I really hope we'll be friends," Naegi said as he hurried inside the school building.

From the moment Naegi had reprimanded her, Enoshima had a mortified look on her face. Now that he had left she was able to collect herself and she started ranting, "That hopeful little shit, how dare he?! How dare he think he can correct my behavior?! I'm Enoshima Junko, the Ultimate Despair! I treat who I want how I want! With my analytical abilities I will bring him to his knees! I own him! I own this school! I own this planet! In fact, fuck this plan-"

Not really listening, and still staring at where Naegi had been, Ikusaba said airily, "I think he was really cool."

"What?! And what the hell were you doing?! A mindless murder machine like you should kill people for less than that!" Enoshima screamed before she tried to kick her sister in the stomach. Tried being the operative word, as for the first time in her life, Ikusaba, without even acknowledging the world around her, blocked a non-lethal attack that her sister directed at her.

"What. The. Actual. Fuck," Enoshima said, unable to believe any of what was happening.

Finally noticing that her hand was wrapped around something, Ikusaba came out of her trance and saw her hand on her sister's foot. Horrified, she let go and tried to stammer out an apology, "J-junko, I-I didn't mean-"

"Forget it, I will deal with you later. If we don't hurry we'll be late," Enoshima said, her voice and face completely void of emotion.

"R-right," Ikusaba agreed as the two went inside for orientation. Their minds, however, were less on orientation and more on the boy they had just met.

 _Naegi Makoto, he could be a problem for me. Oh well, I guess it will be more despairful for me if he is._

 _Naegi Makoto-kun, I want us to be friends too. Junko-chan won't like it but even so…_

* * *

Orientation took place in the gymnasium of Hope's Peak Academy's main building. As Naegi listened to the Headmaster, a man in his mid-thirties named Kirigiri Jin, make his speech, he also looked around at his future classmates.

 _Let's see: the one in the crisp white uniform is Ishimaru Kiyotaka, the Ultimate Moral Compass. He looks pretty intense. The big guy with the pompadour is Owada Mondo, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader. note to self: stay on his good side. I don't think I found anything about that girl with the lavender hair, but she seems to be trying to glare a hole through the Headmaster. The tan girl in the red tracksuit is Asahina Aoi, the Ultimate Swimming Pro. Okay, yeah, she is as attractive as the forums led me to believe. That tall muscular girl must be Ogami Sakura, the Ultimate Martial Artist. I should probably stay on her good side too. I'd recognize that blue hair anywhere, Maizono Sayaka, the Ultimate Idol. Never thought I'd be going to the same school as her again, but I'm not complaining. I think that heavy set guy is Yamada Hifumi, the Ultimate Fanfic Author. He may be the only one in the world who loves manga and anime more than Komaru. The girl with the dark cloud hanging over her head is Fukawa Toko, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy. She seems so scared, I hope she's alright. That blonde guy is Togami Byakuya, the Ultimate Affluent Prodigy. If the Togami family is as wealthy and as powerful as everyone says he could probably just buy out and shut down this school if he doesn't like it. The world only knows that girl in the gothic lolita clothes by her pseudonym only, Celestia Ludenberg the Ultimate Gambler. She really does look like she'll take your money and laugh while she does it. There are Ikusaba-san and Enoshima-san. That older looking guy is probably Yasuhiro Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant. The psychic community calls him "Supernova" but he looks too relaxed to be compared to an exploding star. The guy with red hair must be Kuwata Leon, the Ultimate Baseball Star. He doesn't look a thing like his picture, he looks more like he's going for a punk rocker look. The bishōnen guy over there has to be Fujisaki Chihiro, the Ultimate Programmer. Yeah, he, as in a guy, still really hard to believe._

 _It was fairly recently that the Fujisaki-kun shook the world by announcing that he had always been male. "I can't lie anymore. I'll never get stronger, and I'll never be comfortable with myself unless I tell the truth." That was how the announcement started. I have to admit after hearing his story I can sort of understand, when we're younger we all think there is only one correct way to be manly, or feminine, or anything really. He must have been terrified that people would say how sexist he was, but with a few exceptions the tech community and the world as a whole were pretty understanding. How even if they couldn't understand though it would be nearly impossible to stay mad; I mean, boy or girl, Fujisaki is so cute he could probably be mistaken for a baby panda._

"Now," the voice of the Headmaster shook Naegi from his thoughts, "students will be given keys to their dorm rooms by the teacher in charge of the boys or the girls dorms. These teachers have agreed to live in the dorms with you for the duration of the school year. Gentlemen, this is Kizakura Koichi, he will be in charge of your dorm. Ladies, this is Yukizome Chisa, she will be looking after you at your dorm."

Kizakura looked to be a man the same age as the Headmaster. He was a relaxed-looking man with blue eyes and ragged blond hair. He had a pencil-thin mustache and goatee. Yukizome Chisa was a young woman, she looked like she was barely out of school herself. She had bright orange hair in a ponytail with green eyes. She wore a light blue suit and wore a frilly apron over it.

"Alright, you rotten oranges listen up: I'll be calling out the girls' names and Kizakura-san will call out the boys' names, when we call out your name come up and grab the key to your room. When we're finished we'll take you to your respective dorms," the young woman, Yukizome, said.

The two alternated after calling out a name and everything proceeded smoothly until the very end.

"Naegi Makoto!"

Naegi heard his name but he couldn't believe who had called it.

"Naegi Makoto!" Yukizome called again.

"Uh Sensei? I think there's been some kind of mistake," Naegi said, slightly embrassed by what was about to happen.

"Huh? What do you mean young man?" Yukizome asked innocently.

"Well, um, I'm Naegi Makoto," he said.

* * *

 _Present day_

 _At any other school it probably would have been corrected right away. In fact, I thought it would have been corrected right away here too. But this is Hope's Peak Academy was so, of course it wasn't that easy. Hard to believe that it's been so long since that day. I honestly never thought this would work and I still remember the girls' reaction to this becoming a co-ed dorm,_ Naegi thought as he started cleaning up after breakfast, ready to take another trip down memory lane.

* * *

 **That's all for now.**

 **So, what did you think?**

 **Some notes:**

 **1) I don't think that I will put Sakura or Toko in the harem. I can't really think of a way to get Toko to switch the object of her affections and Sakura has Kenshiro. That and I would like to give Naegi dorm mates who aren't infatuated with him to talk to. That being said, if you really want them in, I would be willing to change my mind. I let you know in the future because I might need suggestions.**

 **2) I won't be taking votes now, because there are a few girls I want to start off with (Maizono, Ikusaba, maybe one or two more) but I will let you know when voting for the girls starts.**

 **3) I want to focus on Class 78's first year so there will not be any V3 characters, unless at the very end you want me to continue and add them. (I do kind of want to think of what the girls will do if Tenko calls Naegi a degenerate male. I assure you it would only happen once.)**

 **4) I don't really have an update schedule, but I'll try to put out a new chapter every month or two.**

 **5) I know this idea seems weird but Makoto is an androgynous name. Check TV Trope under tomboyish Names if you don't believe me. Okay, I'm done being defensive.**

 **6) Not so much a note, but in case you caught it: I don't know about you but Junko using some of DBZ Abridged Frieza's lines just seems so fitting.**

 **Go easy on me, I haven't written anything in a long time.**

 **Next time: How did this happen? Why didn't they check to make sure Naegi was male? How does he know about the parts he wasn't there for? The answers to the first two questions and the reactions for his classmates and the 77** **th** **class will be revealed in the next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Everyday Life at the Girls' Dorm

* * *

 **Hello Dear Readers and welcome back.**

 **I've noticed that most of those who comment on it (three of you as of this writing) say to add Toko to the harem but leave Sakura out, it's 2 to 1 right now. If Toko receives continued support I will add her, but it won't be for a while if I do. Not gonna lie, I might require assistance with that one when the time comes.**

 **Second point, I usually take it for granted that non-despair AU means that Natsumi and Sato never died, and the Hope Cultivation Project never happened but I will clarify anyway. In this story, Natsumi and Sato never died; the Hope Cultivation Project never happened; no brainwashing videos of any kind (those were really weak plot devices if you ask me) (no flames for that one please); and no killing games. Hajime, Natsumi, and Sato will show up, but they might not have much of an impact outside of chapters focusing on Chiaki, Mahiru, and possibly Peko, but we'll see where the story takes us.**

 **Junko is still going to try to cause despair, but since she has been presented with the opportunity to make Makoto's life hell 24/7 she'll limit herself to him. Not to spoil anything but she'll soon find out she'll have to. That is until he brings her around.**

 **Now that we have that out of the way, let's have Makoto meet the people he'll be spending his high school life with.**

 **(Edit: 12/10 7:21 Not even a whole hour and I've had to repost this chapter. Note to self: take your time and Undo is not always your friend.)**

 **(Edit: 12/11. I would like to thank a guest reviewer who told me that I have screwed up the count among students. The ratio was not skewed to begin with, I skewed it. I have changed it to reflect that Makoto's living situation is now a product of "that" student's luck. As for your other point: While it is true that in the games they were living communal lives without separate dorms, though the separate bungalows in SDR2 seem pretty close, I would argue that the living arrangements in the DR and V3 had more to do with the apocalypse and being a reality show respectively. That and Hope's Peak Academy, in the canon, while willing to commit crimes against humanity (human experimentation), they also like to project an image as a squeaky clean learning institution (they did cover up a lot of messed up shit) and I think separate dorms would fit with that attempt at protecting that image. Couple that with the lack of information regarding the living situations during the students' time as actual students and you have just enough wiggle room for this story (I remember only seeing where the Imposter and Mitarai lived.) Anyway, I didn't mean for this to turn in to me being overly defensive, in fact I thank you for pointing out what you did because now I have a bunch of new ideas, so thank you. But as far as separate dorms go I don't think I'm on shaky ground, that and AU's allow for things like this.)**

* * *

 _Present Day_

While the girls got ready to enjoy their day off, and hoping a certain Luckster would spend it with them, Naegi continued to clean up after breakfast. While he was gathering up utensils and plates he soon realized he was not alone.

"Need some help Naegi-kun?" a sweet, bubbly voice asked. When Naegi looked at the source of the voice he saw the former Ultimate Housekeeper herself, Yukizome Chisa, coming towards him.

"I'm fine, Sensei, but thank you," Naegi answered.

Yukizome started to pout, leading Naegi to conclude that he had done something wrong. His fears were soon put to rest when she said, "I hope we can go on that picnic and be on a first name basis again soon."

Naegi's face grew red at that comment, but he soon recovered as another voice chimed in.

"Is that something that a teacher should be saying?"

The girl with short red hair and freckles was standing at the entrance of the dining room. Even if she hadn't had a camera in one hand Naegi and Yukizome would have known she was Koizumi Mahiru, the Ultimate Photographer of Class 77-B.

"There's nothing wrong with skipping him ahead a few years, Koizumi-san," Yukizome answered before sticking out her tongue.

"I came to help and now I get teased by my own homeroom teacher. Naegi-kun what have you done to us," Koizumi sighed, but the smile on her face showed that she was joking.

Soon Naegi started to laugh, something that confused Yukizome and Koizumi.

"What?" they both asked.

"It's nothing, just I never thought we would all be at this point. When it was first announced that I'd be staying here, Yukizome-sensei, Ikusaba-san, and Maizono-san were the only ones who wanted to give me a chance at first," Naegi explained.

"Of course, it's the job of any teacher to believe in her students," Yukizome said with pride.

"Although, if I remember correctly, you still seemed to think I'd do something untoward," Naegi said, deflating the poor teacher.

* * *

 _The First Day of School_

The silence was deafening…for about ten seconds. It didn't take long for some of the male students of the incoming class to voice what they thought of the situation.

"Oh, haha, my, haha, God. I can't, haha, br-breathe," Kuwata Leon managed to get out as he hunched over from laughter.

"I never, _snicker_ , could have predicted this," Hagakure Yasuhiro said trying and failing to muffle his laughter.

"Oh man, I don't know whether to call you a poor bastard or a lucky bastard," Owada Mondo added. He seemed to be able to control his laughter better than the others, but he still found Naegi's current situation entertaining.

Ishimaru Kiyotaka did not find the situation humorous and asked the question on everyone's mind, "This is highly inappropriate for a school environment, how did something like this happen?"

All eyes turned to the headmaster, and to the man's credit he did not wilt under the gazes he was getting. As calmly as he could he started to explain, "Well, for this year, the lottery to choose the Ultimate Lucky Student started late, the Steering Committee was very adamant about luck not being a talent. As soon as I reminded them of Komaeda Nagito and his luck they relented. Originally, this year's Lucky Student was a high school girl but, if you'll pardon the expression, as luck would have it, the mail truck containing her invitation was caught in an accident and the invitation burned up."

"I might know something about that," Naegi interrupted sheepishly.

"Well regardless, the drawing had to be done again, because as I saw it, and I think you'll all agree with me, that such a misfortune would disqualify someone from being the Ultimate Lucky Student. When we drew Naegi-kun's name, we saw his first name, Makoto. I don't mean to embarrass you, Naegi-kun but I think you know as well as I do that it is an androgynous name. Although, that should not have stopped Kizakura-sensei from getting me your file. Great scouting by the way," Headmaster Kirigiri said, dropping his professionalism at the end to take a shot at his longtime friend.

"Hey, you didn't seem too worried about it either," Kizakura defended himself.

"Well this shouldn't be too hard to fix, should it?" the lavender haired girl asked.

"Ordinarily it wouldn't be, but there are certain factors preventing it," the headmaster answered. He then began to explain, "Last year, Class 77-B was set to have 16 students; 8 males and 8 females, however only 15 had ever shown up for class. Towards the end of the first year, Yukizome-sensei had informed us that one of her student had been skipping class for a personal project, one that he has since cancelled and started attending class."

"One of my rotten oranges eluded me," Yukizome said bluntly as she stuck out her tongue and bopped herself on the head.

"That alone wouldn't have been a problem since even if there had been a skewed ratio of study's we always keep one extra room you've probably grasped by now, we usually try for a 1:1 ratio between male and female students and with Fujisaki-kun's recent announcement we gave the last available room in the boys' dorm to him so…" Headmaster Kirigiri explained before trailing off at the end.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any problems," Fujisaki said, trembling.

"Don't worry Fujisaki-kun. This might be awkward, but it's not the end of the world," Naegi said, trying to cheer up the smaller ultimate and put a positive spin on his current situation. If he was honest with himself, he was worried. He had really wanted to make a good first impression with all of his classmates and now it seemed like he would have to deal with half of his classmates and his upperclassmen constantly being suspicious of his motives.

"Wait, you said the last available room, but there should be two more: One for Naegi-kun and one extra. So what happened?" The lavender haired girl pressed.

"Well..." the Headmaster began.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Boys' Dorm_

"How? Just how? We didn't even get back until today so how?" a boy with pink hair asked looking at the two rooms on either side of a certain white haired student's room.

"How unlucky for me, I won't have a shining light of hope for a neighbor this year," the white haired student said calmly.

"How are these two unlivable, while the rest of the dorm is fine?" A boy in a chef's outfit asked.

A blonde boy in a suit pointed to the white haired boy and said, "When that crazy fucker is involved, anything is possible."

"I hope this doesn't cause any problems," A portly boy in a white suit said.

The rooms could only be considered wrecks: somehow the ceilings on either side of the white haired boy's room had caved in while the rest of the building was still structurally sound. Pipes were sticking out of where the bathrooms would have been, and light fixtures were damaged beyond repair. It was as though an addition had been put on a house that was intended to be three rooms side-by-side but only the middle one had survived. In a way, that is what this was what this was the newest dorms on the campus were a joint project between the former Ultimate Architect and the former Ultimate Construction Worker. The rooms in question were on the ground floor, three side-by-side, jutting out. No rooms over them, no basement under them, so there would be no danger to the rest of the building.

"Well the water and electricity going to those rooms have been shut off, so as long as your room is okay," the blonde boy said.

"Oh absolutely, you shouldn't doubt the talents of the wonderful school's alumni," the white hair boy said.

"Except when those talents are up against your luck," the pink haired boy said.

"Well they did have someone come inspect it and they gave it the okay," a tall muscular boy said.

 _This is going to be a weird year I can already tell_ , most of the boys thought.

* * *

"You're joking," the lavender haired girl said bluntly.

"Nope, saw it myself. Even when that kid's not around his luck still does these things," Kizakura said.

"Well, we'll just have to make the most of it, I mean, I'll be there to keep an eye on him if anyone is worried," Yukizome said, smiling.

"Yeah kid, hell, this may be how you meet your future wife," Kizakura added. Naegi knew the man was joking but couldn't help being embarrassed. If anyone had been paying attention to them, they would have noticed that Kizakura's words also managed to elicit a blush form Ikusaba and Maizono.

"I'm not sure that helps, Sensei," Naegi said. What scarred Naegi the most about his situation was how quiet the girls had been. They all seemed to be looking at him as if trying to determine whether or not he could be trusted.

Ogami was the first to speak about the situation, "Naegi-kun, you appear to be trustworthy at first glance, but I will still be keeping an eye on you."

That declaration, more so than Yukizome's, put the girls at ease.

"Well, if Yukizome-sensei and Ogami-san are going to keep an eye on him, I suppose we have nothing to fear," Celes said. To her this was just something she would have to adapt to.

"I feel kind of bad for him, but what else can we do?" Asahina asked rhetorically. Even if Naegi was a pervert, and she would believe he wasn't until she gave him a reason to think otherwise, it was not as though he could have planned something like this out in advance.

"Y-yeah r-right. I'll bet he's just waiting for us to drop our guard," Fukawa chimed in.

"No, I would never-" Naegi started.

"Well we should probably continue this at the dorm," Yukizome interrupted as she gathered up her charges and led them to their new home.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

"What!" It wasn't anymore than two voices but Naegi wouldn't have been shocked if the whole campus heard that yell of indignation.

"What do you mean a boy is going to be living with us?!" a redhead shouted.

"Eww! I bet he's a pervert like Hanamura!" a petite blonde girl in a pink kimono added.

"No, I swear I'm no pervert," Naegi responded.

"I understand everyone's concerns, but it isn't like we're leaving you students unsupervised," Yukizome said in an authoritative voice.

"But Sensei, what if-" the redhead started.

"No buts, Naegi-kun will be treated like any other student," Yukizome said cutting her off. Naegi, relieved at the thought of someone on his side let out a sigh before Yukizome continued, "Of course, if he does step out of line, well…" she trailed off before she drew a wakizashi.

Naegi turned deathly pale at that warning. _Forget graduating, I may not even survive this school,_ he thought.

The only one who seemed to be enjoying the situation was Enoshima. She hadn't forgotten Naegi admonishing her earlier and she was enjoying watching him squirm. _A despair/revenge cocktail, my favorite. Shame I'm not the cause, but don't worry my little hope bagel, we'll have plenty of time for more of both._

"I think you all have the wrong idea about Naegi-kun," a sweet, melodious voice spoke up. The Ultimate Idol, Maizono Sayaka continued, "He and I went to the same junior high for three years and he never caused any problems."

Naegi, who was both relieved that someone had spoke up for him and surprised that Maizono had remembered him, whispered a quiet, "Thank you," to the idol.

Maizono gave him a wink in response.

"Whether we have the right idea or not hardly matters right now," Celes said. Seeing some confused looks she continued, "We will all be living together for the foreseeable future so we may as well put the matter aside for now."

"She raises a good point, for now we should try to be civil about this," the lavender haired girl agreed.

Seeing that no one else wanted to argue, Yukizome took that moment to say, "Since we are all going to be living together, let's introduce ourselves. I'll start, my name is Yukizome Chisa, the Ultimate Housekeeper of Class 74 and homeroom teacher of Class 77-B. In fact let's have my class go next."

"Oh! Oh! Me next Sensei, Mioda Ibuki the Goddess of Music. Ibuki is the Ultimate Musician on Class 77-B," the girl who spoke had long hair. While most of it went down her back there was also some that was styled into two horns on top of her head. She had multiple piercings, and her outfit screamed punk rock.

"I'm Koizumi Mahiru, the Ultimate Photographer. If a boy is going to be living here then I hope you're dependable," the redhead said, more in resignation than acceptance. In addition to having red hair, Koizumi also had freckles and wore a plain school uniform. To Naegi, she looked more like Ikusaba's sister than Enoshima.

"I'm Saionji Hiyoko, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer. I'd prefer you stay away from me. In fact, how about you sleep outside until your living arrangements are fixed?" This was the blonde girl in the kimono. She had a cute face but it appeared she had a cruel streak.

 _Are the others going to take shots at me too?_ Naegi asked himself.

"Pekoyama Peko, the Ultimate Swordswoman," a girl with red eyes, glasses, and silver hair said simply.

"Z-z- huh, Oh, I'm Nanami Chiaki, the Ultimate Gamer. I'm Class 77-B's Class Representative," A short girl with pink hair said sleepily. She wore a hoodie much like Naegi's only it had cat ears on top.

"I'm Owari Akane the Ultimate Gymnast. I love to eat and I love to fight," a tall, tan girl with untamed brown hair said. She wore a white shirt, a short plaid skirt, and as ashamed as Naegi was to admit that he noticed this, she had a very large chest.

"Greetings, my name is Sonia Nevermind, I am the Ultimate Princess. I hope our time together is 'hella tight,'" a pretty blonde girl said. Naegi had no doubt about her claim, she exuded the beauty and elegance one would expect from a princess.

A terrified looking girl with purple hair and a nurse's uniform went next, "I-I-I'm Tsumiki M-m-mikan, the Ultimate Nurse. With your per-permis-mission, could I remember your names?"

"Okay, Class 78 your turn," Yukizome said.

Since Naegi had researched or met most of his classmates already he only really listened for one introduction in particular.

"My name is Kirigiri Kyoko, I am the Ultimate Detective. Before anyone asks, yes, I am the Headmaster's daughter and no I don't want to talk about it," the lavender haired girl said.

Finally, it was Naegi's turn, "I'm Naegi Makoto, the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78. I'll try not to make our current situation any more awkward than it already is."

"Oh great, a pervert like Hanamura and a weirdo like Komaeda," Saionji said.

"I think that's enough," Yukizome said before Saionji's comment could incite anything. Continuing she said, "Now I'm sure you're wondering where the other students are. The students from Class 76 are preparing for graduation. There are also other dorms and that is where they are staying. Those dorms are rather old though and I have heard talk about expanding this one. So like it or not, it may be a very real possibility that Naegi-kun will be staying with us for at least this school year."

When no one said anything Yukizome said, "Good, now that we all understand let me tell you about this dorm and its rules. There is a kitchen and dining area but you are more than welcome to eat in the cafeteria. There are washers and dryers but I expect each of you to do your own laundry. Trash day is every Tuesday and trash bags are to be placed in the trash cans outside on to the left of the building. Understand? Good, now how about we order out for dinner? Anyone have any idea?"

* * *

 _Later_

Dinner had gone well, at least there had been no further complaints about Naegi's presence. That didn't really put him at ease though, he could tell his being there had made most of the girls at least a little uncomfortable. Afterwards he had stepped outside and called home, he had promised to tell his family how his first day had gone. He had expected them to put him on speaker phone, he had not expected his sister to laugh at him. _At least mom and dad seemed sympathetic,_ he mentally sighed. "Well, everyone hates me, so it can only get better from here right?" he asked no one in particular.

"Nobody hates you, at least I don't," a voice said. Naegi looked to his side and saw Maizono coming out to check on him.

"Oh Maizono-san, thank you for earlier. It's nice to know not everyone here thinks I'm some pervert," Naegi said with a tired smile. Today had really take a toll on him.

"You couldn't have possible known this would happen, but I do wonder if this is some form of your luck," Maizono mused.

"My luck seems to lean more towards bad, so maybe," Naegi agreed.

"Hey. cheer up, the others will warm up to you eventually," Maizono assured him.

"Yeah, until then I guess I'll just have to show the others I mean no harm," Naegi agreed, smiling.

Unbeknownst to either of them, there was someone else listening. Ikusaba had wanted to check on Naegi too, but unfortunately, she had no idea what to do. She had never comforted someone before and no one had ever comforted her. So, while she was jealous that Maizono was having the moment she had wanted for herself, she was glad that someone had brought back Naegi's smile.

* * *

 _Present Day_

"It didn't take you long to win us over though, Naegi-kun," Mahiru pointed out. Remembering some of the more difficult girls, Koizumi soon corrected herself, "Well, most of us anyway. Now, we really don't know what we'd do without you." Koizumi's blush at the end of her comment could have illuminated any dark room.

"I don't know about that, but I am glad you all decided to give me a chance so soon," Naegi responded, blushing himself.

"You certainly earned it. It was nice to have help with the domestic chores and not have to worry so much about things breaking down," Yukizome added.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy – Girls' Dorm_

 _First Day of Classes_

The dorm's kitchen was being put to good use this morning. Naegi had decided as a good will gesture to make breakfast for the girls. So, he got up earlier than he was ordinarily comfortable with, when through his morning routine, and got straight to work. It was not long before the smell had attracted the attention of some of the girls.

The tall, tan girl, Owari if he remembered correctly, was the first in the dining room and exclaimed, "Something smells great!"

She was followed by Ogami, who had just returned from her morning workout, "Indeed, I had been under the impression that we would be responsible for our own breakfast, so this is a nice surprise."

"Just give me a few more minutes and it should all be ready. Could you two make sure everyone is here?" Naegi asked.

Owari, who never passed on food when offered, was more than happy to collect the other girls. Once everyone had arrived, Naegi had placed everything on the table, turned and smiled and said, "Breakfast is ready."

"Naegi-kun, did you do all of this?" Yukizome asked.

"Yes Sensei. I know that this situation isn't ideal, and I know everyone has already formed an opinion of me, but I want everyone to know that I won't cause problems while I'm here," Naegi answered.

"Thish ish sho ghood," Owari said through a mouth full of food.

"Agreed, it is quite good. Where did you learn to do all of this?" Celes asked after a few dainty bites.

"I used to help out around the house all the time. I can cook, clean, do laundry. I can even do a lot of handy stuff," Naegi answered.

"If you take care of all of that, then maybe I'll consider giving you a chance, Servant," Saionji said.

"Now Naegi-kun don't feel like you have to do anything," Yukizome told him. _Although, it would be nice to have some help taking care of everyone, and it is nice to be the one being taken care of for a change,_ she thought.

"Well, I mean I wasn't planning on doing it regularly, but I guess it's okay. If I'm busy then at least no one will worry about me doing something perverted," Naegi reasoned. "While we're talking about that, I am aware of how to wash underwear but maybe everyone should handle their own, just so there's no misunderstanding," he suggested.

"Huh, what kind of misunderstanding?" Asahina asked innocently.

"Yeah, if you know how shouldn't you just do it," Owari asked, oblivious to what Naegi was getting at.

"No, just no," Koizumi said in answer to both of them.

* * *

 _Later_

 _Class 77-B's Homeroom_

When the girls of Class 77-B arrived at their homeroom they had expected a few questions about the Naegi's presence at their dorm. They had been told about how his male classmates had found his situation humorous and were sure that word of it had reached their own male classmates.

"So, how is the poor bastard?" a boy with short blonde hair and gold eyes asked. He wore a suit and had what could only be described as a baby face, not that anyone would say that last part out loud. This was Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko, the Ultimate Yakuza and heir to the Kuzuryuu Clan.

"He seems harmless," Pekoyama answered simply.

"He seems to be dependable, but I still don't like it," Koizumi added.

"Be wary, thou may have an incubus in thine midst," a boy who appeared to have heterochromia warned. He wore along black jacket and a purple scarf. His hair, which was black and gray, was slicked back with the exception of a poof of hair in the middle that stuck up and is fairly curly. This was Tanaka Gundam, the Ultimate Breeder, and a chuunibyou if his language was any indication.

"He-he seemed really nice," Tsumiki responded.

"Indeed, more than an incubus, he much more closely resembles the legendary hero of my country. I must see what color shirt he wears under his hoodie to know for sure though," Sonia added.

"Ahh, Sonia-san are you really okay with this?" a boy with pink hair and a knit cap wailed. This boy was the Ultimate Mechanic, Souda Kazuichi.

"Ibuki thinks Makoto-chan is nice," Mioda said happily.

"I like him too, I think," Nanami added sleepily.

"A boy in your dorm, and another Ultimate Lucky Student at that. Maybe his luck exceeds mine. But more importantly, will his hope shine from this? Or perhaps you don't wish for a trash lucky student to disgrace your dorm?" a tall, pale boy with white hair asked no one in particular. This boy was wearing a hoodie, not much different from Naegi's although it was longer. He was the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 77-B Komaeda Nagito.

"As long as he keeps making food like he did this morning, he can live anywhere he wants," Owari said, drooling a little bit from the memories of meals past.

"If that's the case Owari-san, how about he and I trade living spaces," a short boy in a chef outfit suggested. This boy was Hanamura Teruteru, the Ultimate Cook according to his file, but the Ultimate Chef if you ask him. The Ultimate Pervert if you asked anyone else.

"Yeah, no, I'll take the servant that isn't an open pervert," Saionji said, shooting her classmate down.

"SO HE'S WORKING TO EARN HIS PLACE? I THINK I LIKE HIM ALREADY!" yelled a large, muscular young man in a black jacket with black hair. It almost looked like his sheer intensity was causing sparks to shoot out of his eyes. This young man was Nidai Nekomaru.

"I admire his dedication I suppose but don't you think you are being unfair to him? He couldn't have known he would be placed in the wrong dorm," a boy in a white suit pointed out. This boy would have been a dead ringer for Togami Byakuya except for one thing, he was rather fat. This boy was the Ultimate Imposter.

"Right, you might even like him if you gave him a chance," a short, sickly boy added. He had short, light brown hair and wore a brown suit. This was the Ultimate Animator, Mitarai Ryota. Mitarai was the missing student on Class 77-B. He had placed creating anime over people in his first year but with some coaxing from his friend, the Imposter, and his classmates he had been set straight.

"This isn't some pervy harem anime. Geez you're almost as bad as Hanamura," Saionji said.

"Okay, that's enough," Yukizome said as she entered the room. "Naegi-kun and his living arrangements won't be on any tests so let's get started on our lesson, shall we?"

* * *

 _At the same time_

 _Class 78's Homeroom_

"So, I see you survived your first night," the haughty voice of Togami Byakuya stated.

"Morale was low, but I think they give me a chance," Naegi responded.

"Yeah right morale was low, if you are a man this should be a dream come true," Kuwata said.

"You most certainly fit the profile of a harem manga protagonist Naegi-dono," Yamada added.

"Whatever you guys are thinking, stop. This isn't some fantasy world, it's real life," Owada told the two.

"Correct. Also, polygamy is not welcome in a school environment," Ishimaru added.

"I totally predicted that he'd be fine. Hey Naegi-chi, want to know this situation will affect your future?" Hagakure asked.

"I think it can only end one way of two ways: If I stay on everyone's good side I live and if I do something I shouldn't I'm dead," Naegi told him.

 _Too late to stay on my good side buddy, not that I have one to begin with,_ Enoshima said to herself.

"We're not that scary, are we?" Asahina asked.

"It's not so much a matter of being scary as it is I don't feel welcome. Koizumi-senpai and Saionji-senpai in particular seemed to be waiting for me to do something," Naegi explained.

"Don't mind them, I'm sure they'll come around," Maizono said in an attempt to reassure him.

"Why shou-should they h-h-have to? He's the one intruding," Fukawa said.

"It isn't really his fault though," Ikusaba responded. She couldn't really understand why she wanted to defend this boy, but she knew she had never felt this way before. She would never tell her sister, but she decided that she liked this feeling.

"Ikusaba-san is correct. Naegi-kun is living with us and we will be adults about it," Ogami added.

"If he can fix me Royal Milk Tea from now on, I have no objections to him," Celes stated.

"I don't know if I agree with what you are basing your approval on, but you have a point; whether or not we trust Naegi is ultimately something we will have to decide for ourselves," Kirigiri said.

"I'm sorry I put you in this situation Naegi-kun," Fujisaki told him.

"It's not your fault, Fujisaki-kun. How long do you think you could have kept your secret living with the girls?" Naegi asked.

"Probably not long," Fujisaki admitted.

"Most likely, I think it's better that I have pressure on me now than if you had been found out in the future. I'll find a way to make this work, so don't worry," Naegi said with a reassuring smile.

* * *

 _Present Day_

"I can't believe we all remember it so clearly," Yukizome said.

"I can't believe you called out Hiyoko-chan and I by name," Koizumi said to Naegi, pouting a little.

"I'm sorry Senpai, but you have to admit you and Saionji-senpai had had the worst reactions to me living here," Naegi said with a laugh.

Koizumi couldn't deny that, but her face still sported a pout. Naegi, nice guy that he was, started to apologize, "I'm sorry Senpai, really."

"If you want to make it up to me, model for my photography session," Koizumi said.

"Oh no, Naegi-kun and I are having lunch together," Yukizome countered.

The two started to argue but soon they both just started laughing, their earlier reminiscing still fresh in their minds. They had to agree with Naegi, when they had started the school year they never thought that they would be here.

 _Looking back, it wasn't always easy, but that was how it started. That was the start of my everyday life with ultimate girls,_ Naegi thought as he finished cleaning up.

* * *

 **Hey, a title drop, never done that before.**

 **I think that should do it for world building for now. There might be more later but next chapter we get the first girl. We'll start with Ikusaba, mostly because I think her chapter might be the easiest, barring Maizono's.**

 **A few things:**

 **1\. I know most of you probably know about "Makoto Naegi's Worst Day Ever" it is a 25 page booklet that came with Volume 1 of the Danganronpa: The Animation DVD. It does state that the original pick for the Ultimate Lucky Student was female, I can't find her name though.**

 **2\. I'm conflicted about my explanation for Mitarai. I feel like I cheated you guys out of a proper, possibly lengthy explanation for why there will be no brainwashing anime but at the same time I know this isn't a story about him, so I don't know. I don't like talking about him anyway, honestly Danganronpa 3 characters are my least favorite. Most of them anyway, I kind of like Yukizome. But DR3 really lowered my opinion of already established characters too, *cough*Mukuro*cough*, which sucks because I really did like her, but thinking about that one part of Side: Despair episode 9 still makes me nauseous. You know the one. That won't stop me from doing my damnedest to give them fair treatment. I still remember the opinion of Mukuro I formed from DR: IF so I can give her fair treatment. Sorry, ranting. I'll stop.**

 **3\. I think Mahiru made a good foil for Chisa, don't you? Actually, considering the larger than life/completely insane personalities of most of the other characters she is really a good foil for all of them.**

 **4\. I know canon Fujisaki kept his secret, but the student's living arrangements during their time as actual students wasn't elaborated on. Something tells me he would have been caught when one of the more forceful, energetic girls broke down his door to get him.**

 **5\. Jealousy is coming, right now they boys know Naegi is having a hard time. When the girls warm up to him then he'll be a lucky bastard.**

 **6\. Did I make Nagito's luck too powerful in this story, maybe, but I think it fits. It raises some interesting questions though. Would he want another lucky student living next to him? His past self may not, so good luck for him right. If Makoto does things worthy of the title of Ultimate Hope then Nagito misses out on having him around, so bad luck for him right? But my question is: does he have to be present for his luck to affect anything, I think if he's involved at some point then there should be no reason for it not to. Also, this gives me a chance for some fun cutaway gags of people working on those rooms and falling prey to Nagito's luck. I hope that isn't to flimsy of a pretense, but I've read fics where people use Nagito's luck in crazier ways I suppose.**

 **Until then, read and review. No flames please. And please no reviews about how I'm wrong and DR3 was the greatest thing ever with the best new characters ever.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Soldier

* * *

 **Hello again everyone! I hope your New Year started off well. I hope you will all continue to enjoy this story in 2018. I've been replaying the games to refamiliarize myself with the story of Danganronpa so let's hope that makes for a better story.**

 **This time we will explore Makoto's relationship with the Ultimate Soldier herself, Mukuro.**

 **While I have stated in the past that I do not own Danganronpa, I must also point out that I do not own Red vs. Blue either, Rooster Teeth owns that. Don't worry, I haven't decided to write a DR/RvB crossover or anything like that (I don't believe that I could anyway), but I must confess that a character in RvB reminds me of Mukuro. Try and guess which one while you read this note and see if you're right. Anyway, that character and how they developed will be a part of this chapter, I think you will enjoy it.**

 **Also, as hinted at in the first chapter, Naegi will show Ikusaba what it means to be a good older sibling.**

 **Fair warning: I will be using pieces of RvB transcripts, but just the parts I think parallel Mukuro, and in some cases Junko and their relationship. Those will read like a script. So, spoilers for the Chorus Trilogy if you haven't seen it. Go ahead and watch it now if you want, I'll wait.**

 **Are you back? Good. I'm going to assume that many of you know who the characters of Red vs Blue are, so I apologize if this seems a more than a little esoteric.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

The dishes were done and Naegi had just made his way to the common area of the dorm when he spotted one of his first friends at Hope's Peak watching something on her phone.

"Hey?" one of the characters in the video asked.

"Yeah?" the other responded

"Do you ever wonder why we're here?" the first asked.

"It's one of life's great mysteries, isn't it, Ikusaba-san?" Naegi answered as he came up behind the girl, Ikusaba Mukuro.

"Were you waiting for that, Naegi-kun?" Ikusaba asked, while pausing the video and trying not to laugh at her friend and crush.

"No, I had no idea that you would be watching Red vs. Blue. I didn't think you would like it this much when I showed it to you," Naegi answered.

"It's funny; the stories are good; and watching it together is kind of our thing," she told him, although she said that last part too quickly for him to catch and blushing all the while.

"What was that last part?" Naegi asked.

"Nothing," she responded.

Naegi looked at her with a smile. The one that says everything will be alright; that she was accepted; the one that she fell in love with.

"What?" Ikusaba asked, blushing.

"Nothing, I just noticed how much you've changed since we met," Naegi told her.

"That's all thanks to you, Naegi-kun," she said.

"I don't think I did anything special. We would talk about the responsibilities of being the older sibling and we would watch Red vs. Blue," Naegi said honestly while scratching the back of his head.

"To me it was special. I've seen many places but my world and my understanding of it was very small before I met you. Before meeting you and all of our friends, my world only had two people in it," Ikusaba explained.

"Oh, well I'm glad I helped you Ikusaba-san, but I still think you could have done all that on your own," Naegi said.

 _As humble as ever. So cute,_ Ikusaba thought. Shaking her head, Ikusaba said, "I don't think so. In fact, I owe you more than you could possibly know." _If it hadn't been for you_ , she thought, _Junko-chan and I would be doing God only knows what and I would still be her slave._

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy_

 _Third Day of Classes_

Naegi had no idea what to expect when classes had started. Hope's Peak Academy is the school that is above all others after all, so it would follow that the course work would be difficult, right? Wrong. Not only did the course work seem to be the same as one would find at any other school, but attendance was optional. If it hadn't been for Ishimaru, Naegi doubted that half of his classmates would have shown up at all.

 _I really don't understand how a school can function like this,_ Naegi thought as he sat listening to his teacher's lecture and taking notes.

Naegi wasn't the only one distracted during the lecture though. The Despair Sisters as they called themselves were thinking of other things as well.

 _Focus on the lesson like a good student, you hopeful little shit, soon I give you a crash course in Despair 101,_ Enoshima thought as she glanced at Naegi.

Ikusaba, following her sister's line of sight, saw that Enoshima had been looking at Naegi. An unfamiliar feeling had begun to overtake the Ultimate Soldier, a feeling of dread. _Is Junko-chan planning to do something to Naegi-kun? But why? He's just one student. And why do I feel so scared, is this despair? But Junko-chan said it was supposed to feel good, so I must be feeling it wrong. I'll keep trying Junko-chan, I'll try to feel despair the way you do. I'm the only one who can understand you, I'm a good big sister. But I don't want anything to happen to Naegi-kun, maybe I can convince him to side with us. He invited me to talk to him about being the older sibling maybe I can convince him then._ The poor girl's thoughts continued on like that until the lesson had ended for the day.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy – Girl's Dorm_

 _Evening_

Dinner had been good, in Ikusaba's opinion at least. Koizumi and Saionji were no longer suspicious of everything Naegi did, even though it was clear they both hadn't completely accepted his presence yet. The other girls either seemed to enjoy his company, or they didn't really feel too strongly about the situation anymore. She couldn't help but feel angry at Saionji and, to a lesser extent, Celeste. While Celeste acted like Naegi was a live-in servant at least she appreciated what Naegi was doing for them, she especially appreciated the tea he made her. Saionji seemed to want Naegi to act like her slave. For the second time today, Ikusaba had a strange feeling come over her. _Of course, I shouldn't like that one of my upperclassmen treats my classmate like a slave. I especially don't like that Naegi-kun just takes it. So, why did Junko-chan laugh so hard when I said that? I know Naegi-kun offered to do all of this but still…_

After shaking her head to clear her mind for the task ahead, Ikusaba knocked on Naegi's door. Soon enough Naegi opened the door and although he was surprised to get a visitor, he was clearly happy to see Ikusaba.

"Ikusaba-san, good evening. Is everything alright?" he asked.

"No! I mean yes! I mean, I just wanted to talk," Ikusaba said, flustered. _I thought I was ready for this, what's wrong with me?_ she asked herself.

"Okay, I'm free to talk, just let me close this," Naegi said as he grabbed his phone.

"Oh, if you're busy I can come back later," Ikusaba told him. Truth be told, she was torn. She did not want to leave but she had no idea how to start a conversation with Naegi now that she was here.

"No, it's fine. I've already seen this episode anyway," Naegi said. Before he closed the app on his phone, a thought struck him. "Hey Ikusaba-san, do you want to finish watching this with me?" he asked.

"What is it?" Ikusaba asked back.

"Red vs. Blue, it is a great show about two groups of soldiers. Well, that's how it started out anyway," Naegi explained.

"Okay," Ikusaba said simply. Naegi wasn't exactly selling her on the idea of this show, but she sat down on his bed anyway. _At least this should give me time to think of what to say,_ she thought.

"Well, it's better when you watch it, I promise," Naegi assured her. He then asked, "Do you want me to start the episode over?"

"No, but could you set up the scene for me?" Ikusaba asked.

"Sure. The one in the steel colored armor with yellow trim is Agent Washington. He's about to fight a mercenary called Locus. Locus, his partner, their men; and their boss started a civil war on this planet called Chorus to wipe out the population so that they could then plunder the alien weaponry; reverse engineer it; and then sell it on the black market," Naegi explained as he sat down next to her.

 _That sounds like a mission Fenrir would have taken. Maybe not wipe out a planet but incite a civil war,_ Ikusaba thought. After pushing that thought aside she said, "Okay, start it."

 **Washington** : _(to himself)_ Last mag, Wash. Make it count.

 _He runs out of cover, but Locus is nowhere to be seen._

 **Locus** : ( _offscreen_ ) Why do you continue to help these people, Agent Washington?

 **Washington** : _(softly)_ Where are you? ( _he walks forward slowly_ )

 **Locus** : ( _offscreen_ ) You have _nothing_ to gain from them. No reason to fight for them. And yet, here you stand with your life on the line for them.

 **Washington** : Is that so hard to understand?

 _Locus decloaks and fires at Washington, who dives for cover. He runs back out, but Locus has cloaked again._

 **Locus** : _(offscreen)_ You used to be so much more.

"What does he mean?" Ikusaba asked as the video continued to play.

"That's kind of a long story, but here's the short version. Washington was originally a part of a super soldier program, Project Freelancer. The Red and Blue armies were really just for training purposes. Part of simulations to train the Freelancers, but that eventually fell apart and Wash settled in with the Blue Team."

"Wash?"

"Every member of the main cast calls Agent Washington, Wash. If you want, I could send you a link to the channel for the entire series," Naegi suggested.

"I'll think about it," Ikusaba said before returning her full attention to the video.

 **Locus** : _(offscreen)_ You were once an enemy to these men. You were ruthless! You were a survivor!

 **Washington** : I was a different person.

 **Locus** : ( _offscreen)_ No, you were a soldier.

 _Wash notices the air shimmer and watches it suspiciously._

 **Washington** : You say that like they're two different things.

 **Locus** : _(offsceen)_ When a true soldier is told to kill, he kills. He does not question why, he does not mourn the fallen; he fulfills his role and moves on to the next.

 **Washington** : Is that what you want to be? A true soldier?

 _Locus is revealed to be cloaked and standing on a catwalk above Wash, his gun aimed at him. He decloaks._

 **Locus** : No, that is what I am!

 _Locus fires, but Wash avoids it. He aims back at Locus, but he's disappeared again._

 **Washington** : Damn it!

"What are they talking about?" Ikusaba asked.

"Well, Project Freelancer was a group of elite soldiers, as I mentioned. Wash was in the top six, although he was the worst member in his squad, he actually got a grappling hook stuck to his crotch, or so he said." Giving Ikusaba time to giggle, he continued, "What he and many of the Freelancers didn't realize, at least not until it was too late, was that they were working for the bad guys. Later we find out that they were fighting even worse guys and that their boss, the Director, started out with good intentions, but that would take us through seasons six through thirteen. Anyway, something happened to make Wash a lot like Locus, and some, possibly all, of his actions during that time are not something he's proud of. If Wash had continued the way he was going, he would have turned out a lot like Locus, at least I think that's the conclusion we were supposed to draw here."

"I'm not sure I follow," Ikusaba admitted.

"Well, you'd have to watch the whole series to get the whole picture, but Locus thinks that Wash choosing the path that he did made him weak, while Wash thinks that this true soldier that Locus claims to be is nothing more than a monster," Naegi explained.

For reasons she did not understand Ikusaba was afraid of his answer, but she still managed to ask, "What do you think?"

"Well, I think Wash will explain most of it pretty well, but I know that things are more complicated in the real world. I also realize that having compassion for the enemy in the middle of battle would be a dangerous thing, but even in the middle of battle soldiers are still human. Humans can think and reason, but we also feel. I think having empathy is a good thing, it allows us to reach out to others and understand them and they in turn can understand us, although I realize some people don't want to understand or to be understood," Naegi said, before he realized that he was going off on a tangent. "Sorry, I guess that didn't answer your question, but I will say that I think Locus has the wrong idea about what it means to be a soldier," Naegi apologized.

"No, I think I understand what you mean," Ikusaba said. It wasn't like what Naegi said offended her. She knew that someone who had never been a soldier couldn't really understand what it meant to be a soldier, only now she was beginning to think that she didn't either. _It's just a show on the internet, why is it bothering me so much? I follow orders, I complete my mission, what else is there?_ she asked herself before focusing fully on the video again.

 **Locus** : ( _offscreen)_ I'm a professional, Agent Washington. I complete my-

 **Washington** : Yeah, yeah, yeah, you complete your missions at all cost. You can say that as many times as you want, but I know what you really are. You're a coward.

 **Locus** : ( _offscreen)_ Ridiculous.

 **Washington** : You keep trying to play yourself off as some sort of weapon. That you don't care about anyone or anything. But the fact that you're trying so hard to understand me breaks your entire act! No matter how hard you may want to be, you're not a machine, you're a murderer. But you hide behind the idea in your head, because you're too afraid to take responsibility for what you've done.

 _The air shimmers behind him._

 **Washington** : I know, I used to be a real piece of shit. But at least I'm trying to do something about it.

 _Locus decloaks and tackles Washington. Cut to the capital, where Kimball is hunting Doyle. She finds him in the command center, alone. They aim their guns at each other._

 **Doyle** : Stop right there!

 **Kimball** : ( _angrily_ ) You... ( _she advances on him)_

 **Doyle** : ( _scared and_ _retreating backwards)_ D-don't make me use this!

 _Cut back to the beach. Felix picks up his pistol, and Tucker holds himself up, clutching his side._

 **Felix** : You still don't get it, do you? The entire reason you sim-troopers were allowed to live this long, ( _chuckles_ ) is because you're all losers! Control was confident that you'd do more damage to these people than they could ever do to themselves. I mean, a bunch of idiots in charge of an army? Come on, it was a recipe for disaster! Locus and I figured we'd let you rack up the casualty count then kill you after a few weeks. Oh, but then you did something special! You gave these people hope! And with that came a new level of motivation. To fight harder, to die faster! All with the belief that their sacrifice might actually mean something. But you know what? It all means nothing! At the end of the day, if I'm stronger than you and if I'm faster than you, then I can kill you! And that's better than anything money can buy! ( _he aims the pistol at Tucker_ )

While Felix was speaking Naegi heard an unintelligible noise beside him. He looked to the side and saw a shocked look on Ikusaba's face. _That almost sounds like something Junko-chan would say,_ she thought.

Worried for his friend, Naegi paused the video and asked, "Ikusaba-san are you okay? Is the video bringing up bad memories?"

"Sort of, but I'm okay, we can keep watching," Ikusaba told him, although she didn't quite believe it herself. _Talk about art imitating life, this is just eerie,_ she thought.

Naegi didn't really believe her either, but he acquiesced, his favorite part of the episode was coming up after all.

The rest of the episode didn't seem to bother Ikusaba, but she still tensed up when Locus and Felix were in the scenes. Once it was over Naegi said, "I always enjoy how the Reds and Blues outsmart the mercenaries. As good as I think it is, this episode wasn't really a good place to start for new viewers, so I'm sorry if you were lost."

"It was fine, you explained things well enough that I wasn't completely lost," Ikusaba assured him. Once she said that she got up, surprising Naegi.

"Wait Ikusaba-san, didn't you want to talk about something?" Naegi asked, standing up as well.

"I did, I mean I do but it can wait, it's getting late," as she reached for the door.

"Well, if you're sure," Naegi said hesitantly.

"Yeah, we can talk some other time," she assured him.

"I hope the video didn't upset you."

"It didn't. I mean Locus and Felix remind me of people, but it's not a big deal," she said, putting her hand on the doorknob.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I was actually kind of happy to watch it with someone."

"I'll just come see you earlier next time, we can still watch more episodes and still talk," Ikusaba said as she opened the door.

"Sure, it's a date," Naegi said, the last part much more quietly than the rest, his eyes looking beyond Ikusaba.

Ikusaba turned and saw what made Naegi go quiet. She herself became terrified as she saw her younger sister standing in the hallway.

With a wide smile Enoshima said, "Oh please, do go on."

"This isn't what it looks like," Naegi said quickly blushing.

"Are you sure?" Enoshima asked.

"We just watched something on the internet," Ikusaba said, just as flustered as Naegi.

"Something to set the mood?" Enoshima asked, enjoying herself immensely.

"Junko-chan!" Ikusaba shouted, something that surprised her and Enoshima.

 _She's never done that before, she always just takes it, what kind of effect does this hopeful little shit have on her?_ Enoshima thought.

 _Oh God, I yelled at Junko-chan. Why did I do that?_ Ikusaba asked herself.

"I never meant to monopolize your sister's time Enoshima-san," Naegi assured the younger of the twins.

"Oh, it's fine Naegi-kun. Come on Muku-nee, tell me everything that happened," Enoshima said as she put her hands on Ikusaba's shoulders and led her to her room with a plastic smile.

"I guess I should consider myself lucky Komaru isn't here," Naegi said, knowing full well that his little sister would misinterpret what had just transpired the way he believed Enoshima had. Silently wishing his friend luck, Naegi went back into his room and got ready for bed.

* * *

"So, did you have fun?" Enoshima asked, still keeping up the act.

"Junko-chan, I-," Ikusaba started.

"Forget it, I don't care. Do you think I don't know what you're doing?" Enoshima asked.

"I just watched a show on the internet," Ikusaba said, trying to pacify her sister.

"Oh, not that, you think that there's actually something you can do that will make me leave him alone. That I'd actually let that hope boy live after he disrespected me. Maybe you thought that I'd even let you keep him as a pet or something if you convince him to side with us. Do us both a favor Muku-nee, don't waste your energy thinking, you suck at it. And the part that disgusts me the most about all of this is that you were **hoping** you could succeed. One of the Despair Sisters had hope in her heart," Enoshima said in a grave voice with no emotion whatsoever.

"Why are you so fixated on Naegi-kun, he's not even a threat to you," Ikusaba said, now terrified, both for her sake and Naegi's.

"Oh, I don't know, I can't actually get a proper read on him. And whether he is or not, so what? If I'm smarter than him and if I'm more talented than him, then I can do whatever I want to him, even kill him. And that feeling, as hope dies and only despair remains is the most wonderful feeling in the world," Enoshima said with a look of euphoria on her face as she finished.

 _At the end of the day, if I'm stronger than you and if I'm faster than you, then I can kill you! And that's better than anything money can buy!_ Felix's words echoed through Ikusaba's mind as her sister finished speaking. _It's a work of fiction!_ Ikusaba told herself, _I'm not Locus and Junko-chan is not Felix. We are not monsters, Junko-chan always knows best and I'm a…soldier following orders,_ that last thought, the way she had just tried to justify her own and her sister's behavior terrified her.

"Hmm, you know what, I'm feeling generous. You have fun with the little hope bagel. I plan to take my time with him anyway. Your despair will be that much greater when he's gone so I guess it's fine with me. Just don't ever forget your place. You are just some disappointing murder machine that is only fit to follow my orders," Enoshima said before she left her sister's room.

Ikusaba felt confused, usually she took Enoshima's insults happily because of the attention but now she just had a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. After Enoshima had left, Ikusaba curled up on her bed and started shaking. She was so glad that the rooms were soundproof, she felt like she could cry. Something that Naegi had said earlier crossed he mind, _I think having empathy is a good thing, it allows us to reach out to others and understand them and they in turn can understand us, although I realize some people don't want to understand or to be understood._ Upon remembering those words, Ikusaba thought, _Maybe I don't really understand Junko-chan. Maybe she doesn't want anyone to understand, not even me._

* * *

 _A Few Days Later_

 _After Class_

Ikusaba was heading back to the dorms after classes were over for the day. Her time with Naegi and her conversation with Enoshima afterwards had shaken her. Naegi and some of her other classmates had asked her what was wrong, but she kept assuring them that she was fine. As she was passing by the fountain in the courtyard she saw Naegi sitting at the bench talking to someone on his phone. Naegi, upon seeing her, patted the spot next to him. The smile he gave while doing so melted any resistance Ikusaba may have had and she joined him. From her spot next to him she could make out what the person on the phone was saying.

" _Onii-chan, when can you get me Maizono-san's autograph? You know I'm her biggest fan,"_ a young female voice said.

"I know you're her biggest fan Komaru. I'll ask her, I just don't want to bother her with this right away. I have to go though. I love you." Naegi said.

" _Onii-chan,"_ the girl, Komaru, said. Ikusaba could hear the embarrassment in her voice, but then, _"I'm just kidding, I love you too."_

 _She sounds so happy to hear that and to say it in return,_ Ikusaba thought. She sat there remembering the last time she had told Enoshima that she loved her. The response she got, in its entirety was, "Love. Sure. Great." She couldn't help but be jealous of Naegi at the moment.

After he ended the call, Naegi turned to his friend and asked, "Are you alright Ikusba-san? If there's something bothering you I'd be happy to help if I can."

"I know you would Naegi-kun, but I'll be alright," she answered. Attempting to change the subject Ikusaba asked, "Were you talking to your sister?"

"Yeah, that was my little sister Komaru. She wanted to know if I could get her Maizono-san's autograph, but I'm trying to tell her she needs to be patient," Makoto explained.

"I'm sure Maizono-san wouldn't mind," Ikusaba countered. The idea of making Enoshima wait was unthinkable to the soldier.

"While I think you are right, I'd like to give everyone a chance to settle in before badgering her for an autograph. Plus, it wouldn't hurt Komaru to have more patience," Naegi explained.

"I'm not sure I follow," Ikusaba told him.

"Well, back when Komaru was born, I was determined to be the best big brother ever. I spoiled her far more than I should have. I wasn't the only one spoiling her of course but I think I was the worst. Once she was old enough for school I learned that I had to stop and how selfish I was being," Naegi told her.

"Selfish?" Ikusaba questioned.

"Well maybe this will help it make sense: Like I said, I had wanted to be the best big brother ever and as a little boy that meant giving Komaru everything she wanted. I felt like what I was doing was right because Komaru kept telling me that I was the best big brother in the world. I wanted my little sister to love me the most because that would be proof of how great of a brother I was, at least that was how I saw it as a little boy. When Komaru started throwing tantrums when she didn't get her way and I had to correct her I realized that I had the wrong idea about what it means to be an older sibling. I was supposed to teach Komaru: what I was teaching her was that she could hold people's emotions hostage to get her way. Thankfully, she was too young to realize that and Kaa-san, Tou-san, and I could correct that behavior, but she was actually trying to pick friends based on what they could do for her. My parents explained that things like friendship and love are supposed to be unconditional, you don't love someone just because you want something in return and you shouldn't befriend someone just because you want something from them," Naegi said.

"So, what happened?" Ikusaba asked.

"Well, I realized that I couldn't let Komaru act like that. She may have been very young, and her behavior wasn't unusual for kids that age, but she was old enough to learn that she was wrong. It wasn't easy, let me tell you. She first asked if I didn't love her anymore, that hurt but I told her it was because I love her that I had to tell her no, that she could not get her way all the time," Naegi explained.

"That sounds rough," Ikusaba said.

"It was: she kicked; she screamed; she told me she hated me, but I was firm. She ran to her room crying after saying she wished she didn't have a brother. To tell the truth, I was ready to give in, but my parents told me that it would be fine. Komaru was too young to understand but she would eventually. They were right of course, Komaru gave me the silent treatment for a while but she came around pretty quickly. Her behavior improved, she made a lot of friends, and she eventually told me she still thought I was the best big brother ever," Naegi said with a smile.

"That's great," Ikusaba told him. Honestly, she felt a little jealous, it sounded like Naegi and his sister were very close.

"Yeah, but I'm sure you know all of this already. Being an older sibling isn't easy: We need to know when to step back and let them make their own mistakes and face the consequences; and when to step in to protect them, from themselves and others," Naegi said.

"From themselves, huh?" Ikusaba questioned.

"Well yeah, I mean you wouldn't let Enoshima do something you know is wrong, right?" Naegi asked. It was meant to be rhetorical, but he wasn't aware of just the kind of relationship the Despair Sisters had.

"N-no, of course not," Ikusaba stuttered. _Have I been a bad sister?_ she asked herself.

Seeing that his friend looked distressed, Naegi tried to change the subject. "Ikusaba-san," he said, "I was watching an episode of Red vs. Blue before Komaru called. Do you want to finish watching it with me?"

 _I guess that would be alright, I'm sure the similarities I noticed last time were just a coincidence,_ she thought. "Alright," she answered, "but you'll need to set it up for me again."

"Gladly. Felix and Locus are at an alien temple that Tucker accidently activated. All of the equipment that Charon Industries, that's the company paying Felix, Locus, and the space pirates, reverse engineered, the alien tech/human tech weapons, blew up," Naegi explained.

"Why?" Ikusaba asked.

"It turns out that the alien weapons that they had been collecting weren't broken, they were just deactivated. Tucker's sword activated the alien temple and now the Reds, Blues, and the people of Chorus have a chance to beat the space pirates who have lost their superior weapons."

"What about the alien weapons?"

"Charon probably didn't keep many because they thought the weapons were broken. The temple that Tucker was at when he activated all of the temples on Chorus had a vast arsenal of alien weapons and now the Blues are trying to get them for the people of Chorus. The space pirates and Charon scientists are at this temple they received coordinates for and are investigating. There is a teleporter at the temple and supposedly they need a 'true warrior' finish the process of activating the temples across Chorus. Felix sent one of his men through the teleporter and the man had visions of everyone he had ever wronged. Since they don't have a lot of time, Felix and Locus just went through the teleporter and now we get to see what Locus is afraid of," Naegi finished.

"O-oh," Ikusaba said, a little less inclined to watch the video now that Naegi had said that last part.

"You don't have to watch it if you don't want to," Naegi told her. He didn't understand the cause, but he could tell his friend was distressed.

"No, it's fine. Let's get started," Ikusaba told him. With that, Naegi un-paused the video.

Locus ends up on some form of space platform. He is alone. He tries to cloak, but the module malfunctions and he is thrown out of stealth. Locus walks down a nearby ramp.

 **Locus:** Felix, I've made it through the gateway, equipment is malfunctioning. If you can hear this-

 _Locus is interrupted by a booming alien voice._

 **Alien Voice:** _SHALOUKUUAA. SURAKIE SUTO YOH?_

 **Locus:** I don't understand.

 **Alien Voice:** _WHO ARE YOU?_

 _Locus is suddenly surrounded by a squad of four UNSC soldiers wearing Aviator, Warrior, Recruit and Scanner helmets respectively. All four have their guns pointed at him._

 **Aviator Soldier:** Freeze!

 **Locus:** What?!

 **Aviator Soldier:** Don't move!

 **Warrior Soldier:** Don't you fucking move!

 **Recruit Soldier:** Lower your weapon or we _will_ shoot!

 **Warrior Soldier:** Put the weapon down!

 _Locus lowers his shotgun. Another UNSC soldier walks into view._

 **Captain:** What do we have here, men?

 **Aviator Soldier:** Caught us a monster, captain. I think it understands what we're saying.

 **Captain:** Really? Then how about you tell us what you're doing here?

 **Locus:** I... came through the gateway.

 **Warrior Soldier:** Speak English, motherfucker!

 **Locus:** What? ...Wait... I know you.

 **Warrior Soldier:** _(distraught)_ Why is it looking at me?!

 **Past Felix:** _(mockingly)_ Maybe you're just its type.

 **Locus:** No... Felix...

 _Felix shows up, wearing the tan and green armor the mercs wore back during the Great War._

 **Past Felix:** I say we blow its brains out.

 **Past Locus:** That's your answer to _everything_.

 **Locus:** _(mutters)_ Impossible!

 **Captain:** Hey! You quit eyeballing my men and give me some answers. Are you alone?

 **Locus:** I- I don't understand. You're all supposed to be dead!

 **Aviator Soldier:** What's it saying?

 **Locus:** _(to his past self)_ You're me.

 **Past Locus:** Sir, I think it's trying to surrender.

 **Past Felix:** Bullshit, I think it's stalling! Sir, this feels like a trap.

 **Locus:** Why don't you recognize me?

 **Captain:** Private, I did not ask you for your opinion-

 **Locus:** _Listen to me!_

 **Warrior Soldier:** Hey, watch it!

 **Aviator Soldier:** It's getting hostile!

 **Past Felix:** Sir, this thing's wasting our time and we're in no position to start taking prisoners.

 **Captain:** _(sighs)_ Fine. _(to Felix and Locus)_ You two, move into one of these buildings and take it out. Quietly.

 **Locus:** What?

 **Past Locus:** Sir, it's scared.

 **Captain:** If it's smart, it should be.

 **Past Locus:** If we could restrain it, we could-

 **Captain:** _(interrupts)_ Son, you listen here!

 **Locus:** No.

 **Captain:** You're a soldier! In this war, you are nothing but a suit of armor and a gun! So when I give you an order you damn well follow it! Do I make myself clear?!

 **Locus:** _(raises gun)_ **NO!**

 **Past Felix:** Drop'em!

 _All soldiers open fire on Locus. A bright flash and Locus is back at the Temple._

Ikusaba clutched her head as she was hit by a number of memories: Every instance of her sister's verbal and physical abuse from a young age until the present played out right before her eyes. _A mindless murder machine like you should kill people for less than that!_ her sister's voice echoed. _You are nothing but a suit of armor with a gun,_ the Captain's voice followed.

"Ikusaba-san, are you alright?" Naegi asked, worried for his friend's well-being.

"I-I'm fine, the Captain reminds me of one of my old commanding officers," Ikusaba lied. She then asked, "What did we just see?"

"We just saw how Locus was broken during the war," Naegi explained.

"What exactly do you mean?" Ikusaba asked.

"Locus's ideology stems from the punishment for insubordination he endured under his commanding officer during his time as a soldier of the UNSC. We've just seen that Locus was once a more compassionate individual, but when Locus tried to show compassion to a "monster" he and his squad were supposed to interrogate, his commanding officer snapped at him, explaining to him that he was nothing more than a suit of armor and a gun who should follow orders without question. The trauma of having his values shattered in front of him broke Locus. To cope, he tried to become what his superior had demanded from him all along; a living weapon that carried out all orders regardless of their consequences," Naegi explained.

"Are you sure you aren't the Ultimate Armchair Psychologist?" Ikusaba asked jokingly.

"I've binge watched this series more times than I care to admit," Naegi said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Getting serious again, he asked, "Are you absolutely sure you're okay Ikusaba-san?"

"I am Naegi-kun, don't worry," Ikusaba assured him.

"Of course, I'm worried. We're friends, aren't we? Plus, we're classmates and we live together," Naegi said. After he realized what he said, Naegi followed up, "That last part sounded more innocent before I said it."

Laughing a little at how cute Naegi was, Ikusaba said, "I know what you meant Naegi-kun, and thank you."

"You're welcome. I might not have some amazing talent like the rest of you, but I think if I can help out amazing people like you Ikusaba-san even a little, then accepting the invitation to Hope's Peak was definitely the right decision," Naegi said with conviction.

"I'm not amazing, I've always been a disappointment, at least according to her," Ikusaba meant to say the last part quietly but Naegi still heard her.

"According to who? A former commanding officer?" he asked.

"Something like that," Ikusaba said.

"Then I'll say it until you believe it too. You're amazing," Naegi told her.

 _If you knew what I have done and what Junko-chan wants to do you wouldn't say that_ , Ikusaba thought. Still, with a blush on her cheeks and a tear in her eye she said, "Thank you, Naegi-kun."

"You don't have to thank me, Ikusaba-san," Naegi said with a kind smile. Then he noticed that the episode had ended and said, "Looks like we missed the ending."

"That's fine, we can watch it again whenever," Ikusaba told him.

"Are you sure? Out of the two episodes we've watched, both seemed to make you uncomfortable," Naegi pointed out.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's just a show on the internet, nothing to get so worked up about," Ikusaba said. _Even if it is raising uncomfortable questions and digging up unpleasant memories,_ she thought.

* * *

 _The Following Weekend_

 _Girl's Dorm-After Breakfast_

The uncomfortable questions and unpleasant memories that accompanied them did not subside before the weekend and Ikusaba was not sure how she felt about that. She wasn't sure how she felt about anything anymore but what did it matter. She was not the smart sister, that was Enoshima. Enoshima telling her to do something she didn't agree with; she'd do it in a heartbeat. _Junko-chan is always right_ , had been her motto for as long as she could remember, why was she having doubts about it now? But the fact was that she was having doubts and she didn't know what to do. Who could she talk to? Who did she trust enough to confide in? Though she wasn't expecting answers it seemed the universe was prepared to give her one: Naegi Makoto happened to be sitting on one of the couches in the dorm's communal area, with his phone in his hand and the YouTube app open.

Resolving herself, Ikusaba called out to him, "Hey, Naegi-kun? Can I tell you something?"

"Just me? What is it?" Naegi asked.

"To be honest, I'm getting fed up with all of this." Ikusaba said softly.

"I don't understand. Fed up with what?" Naegi asked.

"We're all ultimates, right? So, we get carried away and rush face-first into stuff. Even I have to wonder if it's okay to live like that. Dreams are meant to change as you grow up, right? Depending on where you're at- kindergarten, elementary school, junior high, high school…. but I've had the same dream since I was a little kid, and I've been rushing towards it ever since. So, I've never really had to think all that hard about my dreams." Ikusaba finished off with a bit of frustration in her voice.

"But what's wrong with that?" Naegi asked curiously. "It just means you still feel the same way, right?"

"That's what I used to think." She admitted. "But if it doesn't change, your possibilities can't grow, right? That's how new opportunities are born. And up until now, I never did that. I never let my dreams grow. All I saw was that one dream. I put everything I had into that one narrow little world. I feel like there's so much more I could be doing that I'm not, and I don't like that feeling. So, I think I'm going to start looking for it. Is it childish of me to think like that? Am I just being a baby?"

"No, not at all." Naegi replied. "I'm the same way. I'm still trying to figure out what it is I want to do. And sometimes I feel like I'll never find it. I feel like maybe I'll spend the rest of my life looking for it. But I'm not sure it's even about finding it or not finding it. Maybe the important thing is that you're looking for it."

A new voice said. "Wow Naegi-kun, you actually sounded kinda cool just now!"

That voice filled Ikusaba with dread, but she still managed to get out the owner's name, "Junko-chan!"

Naegi, embarrassed by Enoshima's comment stammered, "N-No, that's not what I was trying to-"

"W-when did you get here Junko-chan?" Ikusaba asked, fearing the answer.

"Right at the end, why? Were you discussing something I shouldn't have heard?" Enoshima asked while looking very much like the cat that caught the canary.

 _For some reason that sounds like a lie, but why would Enoshima-san lie? More importantly, why would it be a problem if Enoshima hears it?_ Naegi asked himself.

 _She's lying, she heard everything. The question is, what is she going to do now?_ Ikusaba wondered.

"Well, who cares when I got here or who said what," Enoshima said suddenly. She then asked, "What's that you're watching Naegi-kun?"

"I was watching an episode of Red vs. Blue. Ikusaba-san and I have been watching it together every so often," Naegi explained.

"I've heard of that show. Is it any good?" Enoshima asked. Ikusaba was the only one who could tell but the interest Enoshima was showing was completely false.

"Oh absolutely. It started out a comedic series, but it got more dramatic as time went on. There are still plenty of moments of levity but what really gets me is the characters; the themes surrounding them; and how they've grown," Naegi said.

"That's good, because there really is nothing worse than a character that is the same joke over and over," Enoshima said.

 _Odd, for some reason that sounded like the most self-unaware comment I will ever hear. I wonder why?_ Naegi asked himself. Ignoring that feeling, Naegi asked, "Would the two of you like to watch this episode with me or did you have plans?"

"Not that I know of," Ikusaba said, hoping against hope that her sister had shown up simply by random chance.

"I've got nothing better to do. Set it up and let's watch," Enoshima said, surprising Ikusaba.

 _What exactly are you planning Junko-chan?_ Ikusaba wondered.

Naegi didn't really think much of it though, and after giving Enoshima a basic overview of Red vs. Blue and the Chorus Trilogy, he eventually got to the episode that he had planned to watch. "So, at the end of the last episode Locus asked the Counselor about the Meta," he explained.

"What's the Meta?" Ikusaba asked.

"The Meta was a Freelancer code named Agent Maine. He received and A.I. fragment from Carolina, Sigma the fragment that represented ambition. The Counselor will explain a lot of it, but Sigma used Maine to kill other Freelancers to take their A.I. fragments and equipment. I guess a good way to describe him would be an Ultimate that could steal talent from other Ultimates," Naegi explained.

"Like an Ultimate that could possess all talents?" Enoshima asked.

"Pretty much," Naegi confirmed.

"Interesting," Enoshima said. _More like useful. In a world that sees talent as hope, the corruption or destruction of something like that would go a long way in advancing despair. I wonder if Yasuke-kun could do something about that?_ she thought.

 _Hope's Peak Academy Courtyard_

 _The Fountain_

A boy that looked like a taller version of Naegi and Nanami Chiaki were sitting at the water fountain playing video games when suddenly the boy sneezed.

"Are you feeling alright, Hinata-kun?" Nanami asked.

"I'm fine Nanami-san," the boy, Hinata Hajime, said. _I wonder what that was about?_ he asked himself.

"Yeah, he was a good villain, but the Meta had his weaknesses too. The armor enhancements were meant to be paired with an A.I. and couldn't run on one suit of armor without requiring large amounts of power," Naegi said, not realizing that he and Enoshima were thinking about two different things.

"Why did Carolina give Maine an A.I.?" Ikusaba asked.

"He was shot in the throat on a mission and lost the ability to speak. Since the A.I. can manifest themselves as holograms and speak and Maine needed a way to communicate it seemed like a good idea at the time. Carolina thinks the Director had some idea that things would play out the way they did since each A.I. was paired with the Freelancer that the Director thought suited them best, but I think that was just resentment talking," Naegi explained.

"Ah," was Ikusaba's simple response.

"I still clutch my neck every time I watch that episode," Naegi admitted.

"Alright enough background information, are we watching this or not?" Enoshima said impatiently.

"Sure, I wasn't very far in, would you like me to restart the video?" Naegi asked.

"No, it's fine," Ikusaba said.

"If you aren't that far in, I'm sure we won't be too lost," Enoshima told him. _Not that I couldn't figure out what had already happened anyway_ , she thought.

"Okay," Naegi said as he tapped his phone and resumed the video.

 **Counselor:** ( _off screen)_ The Meta?

 **Locus:** ( _off screen)_ Yes. ( _Cut to the interior of the Tartarus where the Counselor is seen talking to Locus through a screen_ ) Any additional information we can gather on our enemies is vital to success.

 **Counselor** : Would it not be more beneficial to discuss Agents Carolina and Washington?

 **Locus:** _No._ I have a full understanding on Washington. His background no longer interests me. The same can be said for Carolina.

 **Counselor** : Very well. What would you like to know?

 **Locus:** The Meta had the potential for perfection. How was it possible that he was defeated by a group of incompetent simulation troopers?

 **Counselor** : Agent Maine survived numerous injuries during his time with the Freelancers. Most would have been lethal had they been inflicted upon any other man. However, in the end, four puncture wounds in his suit resulted in asphyxiation by liquid. He drowned.

 **Locus:** I'm aware of _how_ he died, I want to know why he was unable to prevent it.

 **Counselor** : As did the rest of us. It seemed impossible at the time but as you've already seen, the simulation troopers are extraordinarily resilient.

 **Locus:** He had every possible advantage.

 **Counselor** : But they had each other. They had what our agents never fully achieved: complete and total faith in one another. I think it's important to note that had the Reds and Blues combated Agent Maine _prior_ to the destruction of his A.I., it's possible events may have played out differently.

 **Locus:** Why is that?

 **Counselor** : You must remember that Agent Maine and the Meta are two distinctly different psyches. The Meta was the result of the Sigma A.I. manipulating Maine. His sole objective was perfection. ( _as he speaks, outside, two asteroids float towards each other slowly_ ) When the A.I. fragments were destroyed by Agent Washington, the Meta was destroyed along with them, ( _the smaller asteroid smashes into the larger one as he says this, breaking it into pieces_ ) leaving behind a damaged shell of a man. Unlike Sigma, his only remaining goal was to obtain power. His actions were more reckless. His behavior, more sporadic.

 **Locus:** ( _cut back to the Counselor_ ) And before Sigma? What was he like then?

 **Counselor** : A brute. Strong. Unrelenting. Fearless. He had no qualms when asked to do the unpleasant. The morally questionable. Because, despite what many thought of him, he knew he was, at his core, a _soldier_ , and his actions inevitably served the greater good.

 **Locus:** The greater good is irrelevant. His actions should have been his orders. Nothing more.

 **Counselor** : No. That would make him a slave.

 **Locus:** ( _looks away momentarily)_ Would you say Maine performed at his best when controlled by Sigma? When the Meta strove to be the perfect weapon.

 **Counselor** : You're mistaken in assuming Sigma's definition of 'perfection'. The Meta never wanted to be a weapon. The Meta wanted to be human. ( _a moment of silence between the two_ ) Is there anything else you wish to discuss?

 **Locus:**...No.

 **Counselor:** Have you noticed a change in your behavior since entering the gateway? I understand the portal attacked the minds of its inhabitants; confronting them with their greatest fears. That could have lasting effects on an individual.

 **Locus:** ( _defensive_ ) _I'm fine._

 **Counselor:** I'm inclined to disagree.

 **Locus:** You're overstepping your boundaries, Counselor.

 **Counselor:** I'm merely doing my job.

 **Locus:** Your job is to -

 **Counselor:** ( _interrupts him_ ) Would you like to know what Felix is afraid of?

 **Locus:**...I –

"Wow, way to tease us, am I right?" Enoshima said as soon as Felix interrupted the Counselor.

"Well yeah, they can't give everything away mid-season," Naegi defended.

"Fair enough," Enoshima conceded. She continued, "That guy, I believe you called him the Counselor, he's pretty creepy."

"A little. I suppose in most characters always holding an even tone would be, but I would think an even, calming voice is a good characteristic for therapists and counselors to have, particularly if they exclusively treat soldiers," Naegi said.

Ikusaba, meanwhile, was thinking back on her time in Fenrir and the times she had followed Junko's orders, _A soldier's actions serve the greater good. Simply following orders makes one a slave. Am I a soldier or a slave?_ Her sister's voice soon snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Boring, I really thought you two were up to something and all you've been doing is watching videos on the internet," Enoshima said while sporting a pout.

"I believe we told you as much Enoshima-san," Naegi responded.

"Yeah, but come on, you could at least lie and say you were doing something else. Give me something to actually tease you two about," Enoshima half pleaded.

"Romance, real or imagined, isn't something someone in my situation can indulge in Enoshima-san. You know boy in the girls' dorm?" Naegi reminded her.

"Ugh, I guess," Enoshima huffed in mock frustration.

Noticing that Ikusaba had been silent, Naegi turned to her and asked, "Ikusaba-san, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Ikusaba answered. Not that she could say much else with her sister there and she dare not tell Naegi what was really on her mind.

"Ikusaba-san, I know I ask this every time but are you okay to watch these? The parts with Locus and Felix really seem to upset you," Naegi said.

"And I answer every time, I'm fine," Ikusaba said more forcefully than she meant to. Realizing this she immediately apologized, "I'm sorry Naegi-kun, I know you want to help but it's not something I really want to talk about."

"Well, it's not really good to keep things bottled up, but I won't force you," Naegi said with a hint of resignation. He then said, "If you ever do want to talk though, I'm more than happy to listen. I might understand better than you think. And not just me, our class, our senpai in this dorm, Yukizome-sensei, and Enoshima-san, we're all here for you."

"Yeah, Muku-nee, spill your guts," Enoshima said with what Ikusaba knew to be a fake smile while flashing a peace sign. _Really, do it. I could use some despair after spending all this time with the two of you,_ she thought.

"I'll think about it," Ikusaba said slightly hesitant, while Naegi may have been right about the others Ikusaba knew that even if Enoshima couldn't read her, confiding in her sister was the worst thing she could do.

Looking at his phone, Naegi noticed the episode had ended. "It never fails, when we watch Red vs Blue we start some conversation and miss the episode," Naegi said, laughing.

"Sorry Naegi-kun," Ikusaba said.

"Yeah sorry. Oh, I know, how about a date to make it up to you," Enoshima said.

Blushing like mad, Naegi still managed to keep his composure and say, "N-no, I mean, it's really no big deal, I've seen all the episodes and can watch it again later whenever I want. There are some things I need to take care of but if you two are interested we could meet up after lunch and watch some more episodes."

"I'd like that," Ikusaba said.

"I thought you were turning down my offer of a date and you turn around and make one of your own," Enoshima said, giving Naegi an incredulous look.

"No, I just-," Naegi stammered.

"You are so easy to tease. I'll think about it, feel free to start without me though," Enoshima said.

"Okay, until then," Naegi said as he got up and went about his business.

Once she was sure Naegi was out of ear shot and that there was no one else around, Ikusaba attempted to talk to her sister, "Junko-chan, I-"

"Shut up, we are not talking about _your_ feelings," Enoshima barked. Gone was the false image of the teasing yet kind high school girl, the real Enoshima Junko had taken her place.

"I wasn't going to," Ikusaba said as she tried to make herself smaller, as if that would protect her from her sister.

"No, that's what you have Hope Boy for. You know what, I've changed my mind; let's talk about what you said to him. You're getting fed up with all of this, huh? What else can you do though? What else is out there for someone like you? My ugly, plain, idiotic, smelly sister. You are my own, personal killing machine. You think someone like Naegi-kun can change that for you? How willing would he be to help if he knew the real you? A disappointment that only knows how to kill," Junko said.

"You don't know, you said you can't read him," Ikusaba had not meant to say that but it still slipped out and she immediately covered her mouth in shock when she realized that it had.

"You're right, I can't, but I don't need to. Not to know this. He may know that you are a soldier, but have you told him about your time in Fenrir? You can't hide behind some claim of 'the greater good.' You were a mercenary; you operated out of the Middle East in conflicts that even if they had anything to do with Japan you wouldn't have known, and your group probably didn't care. It didn't matter why you did it, all that mattered was how much money your boss could get," Enoshima told her.

Ikusaba had no response.

"I don't know how that hopeful little shit can inspire that defiance in you but do something about it. We both know nothing is ever going to come of that type of attitude, not from you," Enoshima said a she got up and left the room.

Once she was sure she was alone, Ikusaba started to sob as the empty feeling she felt after her last conversation with Enoshima had returned. She knew she was feeling despair after what Enoshima had said. It didn't feel good, it never did, not for her. She never got to ask why Enoshima showed up when she did. Had Enoshima been keeping an eye on her? Why? Enoshima had said she didn't care what she did with Naegi. Was there something Enoshima was afraid of? If that was the case, then why had Enoshima allow her to continue to spend time with Naegi alone until now? Ikusaba did not have any answers, she wasn't sure there were any. She also no longer felt like meeting with Naegi after lunch, but she had promised after all, and it would be nice to spend time with someone who admitted that they enjoyed her company. She just hoped she wouldn't look like she had been crying when the time came.

* * *

 _Later that day_

 _Girls' Dorm Common Area_

Ikusaba did not look like she had been crying when she met up with Naegi again, but he was still able to tell that something was wrong. She was distracted, jumpy, and more quiet than usual. She assured him nothing was wrong, and although Naegi was not convinced, he let it slide. He hoped that she would open up to him as they passed time together. They had watched two episodes and had just begun the third when Naegi attempted to improve the mood with a joke, "Two episodes in and we haven't gotten side-tracked by a conversation, that's a personal best for us."

"Sorry," was all Ikusaba said.

"No, I'm sorry Ikusaba-san, that was a poor attempt at humor. I shouldn't be joking when one of my friends feels bad," Naegi told her, pausing the video to give her his full attention.

"I'm alright," Ikusaba responded.

"No, you aren't, I can tell. Did you and Enoshima-san have a fight or something?" he asked.

"Sort of," Ikusaba told him, it wasn't exactly true, but he was close.

"It might be none of my business, but you know you can talk to me, right?" Naegi asked.

"I know," Ikusaba said. _Do I? What if Junko-chan is right? Will Naegi-kun think I'm a monster? I mean Junko-chan is always right, isn't she? But she can't properly analyze Naegi-kun so what if she isn't?_ Ikusaba thought. She was being forced to question so much of what she thought that she knew so quickly, and she had no idea how to deal with it.

"Well you don't have to tell me the details, but just know that I understand how hard it is when you have a fight with a loved one," Naegi told her.

"Yeah, it is," Ikusaba responded, not that she would know. Just taking verbal abuse could hardly count as a fight, but that was hard too.

"Do you want to stop so you can get things sorted out?" Naegi asked.

"No, I'm okay to keep watching," Ikusaba assured him.

"Alright," Naegi said, figuring it was best to go along with Ikusaba for now.

 _Cut to the Jungle Temple. Felix is seen activating the sword._

 _ **JUNGLE TEMPLE**_

 **Felix:** ( _laughing_ ) Oh, I will never get tired of that.

 **Locus:** We lost too many people.

 **Felix:** Fewer people, bigger cuts. Besides, we have all we need right here. ( _to someone else_ ) Isn't that right?

 **Santa:** If you now possess the key, then you have proven your worth.

 **Felix:** That's what I like to hear. So, when we activate this Purge-

 **Santa:** The Purge should _only_ be activated as a last resort, if the inhabitants of the planet are not worthy.

 **Felix:** Buddy, trust me, I've meet the guys, sooo not worthy. I just wanna double check and be sure that _we_ won't be wiped along with them.

 **Santa:** ( _sighs_ ) Those residing within the temple will be spared.

 **Felix:** Perfect! Now how exactly do we activate-

 **Locus:** What about our remaining forces? They'll be killed guarding the communication temple.

 **Felix:** Look, they were good men. ...Well, actually, they were disgusting, murdering bastards! But the point is what they don't know won't hurt 'em... until they're dead.

 **Locus:** Some of them are _former partners_.

 **Felix:** But orders are orders.

 _Locus lowers his head._

 **Felix:** (s _ighs_ ) Locus, when have we _ever_ looked out for anyone other than ourselves?

 **Locus:** They trust us.

 **Felix:** And what, that gives them some sort of immunity? Survival isn't a right, it's a privilege. It's _earned_. That's the _one_ thing we've always agreed on. If they deserve to live, then they'd be strong enough to stop us and smart enough never to trust anyone. Hmm, we'll need to come up with something to tell Price on the Tartarus, you know, once it's done. Maybe the money will be enough.

 **Female Space Pirate:** Sirs, Control just sent us a new transmission. They don't sound too happy about losing Armonia's artifacts.

 **Felix:** ( _scoffs_ ) Great. You wanna take that?

 **Locus:** I thought _you_ were the people person.

 **Felix:** ( _scowls_ ) Man, you suck. Just ask this thing how to activate the temple, then let's go. ( _walks off then stops_ ) You know, I wonder how much Hargrove would pay... for an alien A.I.? ( _leaves_ )

 **Santa:** My creators believed the key and their gifts could only be wielded by a true warrior. I was skeptical of the first human... and then even more so of this one. I shall prepare all necessary data for the activation of the Purge.

 **Locus:** You guard these relics. You spoke to me in the gateway. Created the things I saw.

 **Santa:** Correct.

 **Locus:** Then can you tell me... what did Felix see? What is it he's afraid of?

 **Santa:** ...Is it not so obvious? ( _disappears_ )

 _Santa disappears. Locus ponders. Cut back to Crash Site Bravo where the Blood Gulch Crew are seen formed in a huddle._

"I didn't expect that," Ikusaba said.

"What?" Naegi asked.

"I thought Locus didn't believe in compassion anymore," Ikusaba answered.

"Locus cares about those who put their trust in him. Even at his worst, he had a few redeeming qualities. He understood that even though those serving under him pledged their loyalty to Felix, him, and Control, he has a duty to them as well. I think it is important to remember that loyalty should go both ways. The commanders need to know that the troops will do their job and the troops need to know that their commanders won't be careless with their lives. I mean I know that war isn't that simple: There may be times when disobeying an order may lead to a major victory and unfortunately there will be missions that go horribly wrong despite even the most careful planning or are suicide missions. That said, troops shouldn't go out of their way to disobey orders and commanders shouldn't go out of their way to endanger the lives of those serving under them," Naegi explained.

"Loyalty should go both ways," Ikusaba repeated.

"Loyalty, respect, trust. I think any unit where a chain of command or any type of relationship for that matter similar type of structure exists like, say, a family or like Owada-kun's gang needs to understand that to function. I mean you can you really be loyal to someone you can't trust or respect? Can they be loyal to you if they don't trust or respect you? I think partially, maybe, but is that enough? I really don't think that it is," Naegi said.

Ikusaba did not voice her response, but Naegi had given her something to think about, _Loyalty, respect, trust. Junko-chan is my little sister but is that enough of a reason to follow her?_

Realizing that he had gone off on a tangent and believing that he had made the girl uncomfortable, Naegi quickly apologized, "Sorry Ikusaba-san, I got carried away."

"No, it's fine, I thought that you raised some good points," Ikusaba said, trying to reassure the boy.

"Yeah, but it's still the perspective of a civilian though, you can't really understand these things the way a soldier does, let alone the Ultimate Soldier," an all too familiar voice added from behind them.

Turning around the two were met with the smiling face of Enoshima Junko.

"Well, I guess I can't really say that you're wrong Enoshima-san," Naegi conceded. He then asked, "When did you get here?"

"Right when you started talking about loyalty, I thought it was pretty good, it is such a wonderful thing after all," Enoshima said as she looked at Ikusaba out of the corner of her eye.

Even though he thought that that last part had sounded weird, and maybe threatening, Naegi brushed that off and said, "Sorry to leave just as you arrived Enoshima-san. I know lunch wasn't that long ago but I'm going to see if I can come up with any ideas for dinner. Making enough portions for all of us takes a while, after all."

"I don't doubt it, especially when you factor in how much Owari-senpai eats," Enoshima added.

"Yeah, so I'll see you both at dinner. Ikusaba-san, I hope you feel better," Naegi said before he left to dig through the kitchen for ideas.

Ikusaba had been silent since Enoshima had shown up, preparing herself for another verbal onslaught. However, that is not what she got.

"How naïve can someone be? Respect and trust are required for loyalty? Bullshit, you just need to let people know how superior you are. Isn't that right Muku-nee?" Enoshima asked.

 _I used to think so, but now I don't know_ , Ikusaba thought.

"No answer? Come on, it's yes or no. I believe in you! Actually, no I don't, but still even you should be able to give a one-word answer," Enoshima mocked.

Ikusaba stayed silent.

Giving up, Enoshima just said, "Fine don't answer. I didn't think it was possible but you're more boring than usual." Enoshima got up and left. To do what, Ikusaba wasn't sure, but she soon realized something. She had just ignored her sister and she was surprised by how little she cared.

* * *

 _That Evening_

 _Ikusaba Mukuro's Dorm Room_

Ikusaba Mukuro was restless.

In her short time at Hope's Peak Academy, Ikusaba had learned a few things but not from the faculty. Her friendship with Naegi had been forcing her to question a lot of what she believed and of what she thought she knew. She had found some answers; answers she knew Enoshima would not like, but to her shock she was not as concerned with her sister's opinion as she once was. That said, she still did not know what to do. Following the orders of her superiors had been all she had known, whether they were her commanding officers or her sister.

From her first conversation with Naegi to the present, Ikusaba felt as if her mind had been in a fog. It was not a feeling she enjoyed. She had always believed that Enoshima was right; that no matter how terrible her actions were, no matter how much she disagreed with them, as long as they led to Enoshima's love and respect nothing else mattered. That was the perfect sister she had strived to be since a young age; but was that right? She wasn't sure anymore, she knew her own sister well enough to know that they loved each other in their own way but did Enoshima respect her?

 _She doesn't, does she? Blindly following her hasn't changed that, if anything I think she respects me less. I think I've always known, but I didn't want to admit it,_ Ikusaba thought.

She may not have had all the answers, but she knew where she could get some, perhaps all of them. She got up and made her way to Naegi's room with a question that she thought would help her understand everything.

 _Knock, knock._

Opening the door, Naegi peeked out and saw his friend with a serious look on her face. "Ikusaba-san?" he asked, surprised by her sudden visit.

"What is Felix afraid of?" Ikusaba asked.

"Huh?" was Naegi's response.

"I need to see that, and I need to talk to you," Ikusaba said.

"I'm not sure I understand but okay," Naegi said as he picked up his phone and pulled up the episode with the information Ikusaba wanted. Both took a seat on Naegi's bed and watched the episode in silence. Ikusaba's did not take her eyes off the screen once and her focus only increased when Felix and Locus were on screen.

 **Felix** : Wake up! ( _he throws the SAW into Locus' arms._ ) I told you we'd make it.

 **Locus** : ( _groans_ ) Felix... it's over...

 **Felix** : ( _activates his sword_ ) Run your camo, and stick to the shadows. I'll draw them out.

 **Locus** : The _Tartarus_ is destroyed, our numbers are falling, the mission-

 **Felix** : _FUCK_ the mission! Jesus Christ, for _once_ in your life, would you _forget_ about following _**god damn orders!**_ I'm not doing this for Hargrove! I'm doing this for _me._

 _Felix trudges off. Cut to Washington at the battlefield._

 **Tucker:** ( _over radio_ ) Wash! Locus and Felix are alive! And they're here!

 **Washington:** What?!

 **Tucker:** ( _over radio_ ) We need help.

 _The Mantis faces Washington and charges its weapons._

 **Washington:** ( _noticing the Mantis_ ) Damn it!

 _Washington runs off as the Mantis fires on his position. Cut back to the temple control room where the Blues and Doc are seen hiding from Felix._

 **Washington:** ( _over radio_ ) Tucker, I hate to say it but you're on your own.

 **Tucker:** But-

 **Washington:** ( _over radio_ ) I believe in you...all of you. You can do this.

 **Doc:** He thinks we're gonna die...

 **Sarge:** ( _over radio_ ) No. That time… he meant it.

 **Felix:** Tucker! _Where are you?!_

 _Tucker, Doc, and Caboose silently stare at Felix, who walks past._

 **Caboose:** So...are you gonna answer him?

 _Cut to Locus, who struggles to walk. He finally falls over and rolls himself onto his back in exhaustion._

 **Santa:** ( _appearing_ ) Why have you come here, meddler?

 **Locus:** To kill the simulation troopers.

 **Santa:** Will this secure your victory over their forces?

 **Locus:** No...

 **Santa:** Then what purpose will it serve?

 **Locus:** I don't know...

 **Santa:** Then why are you trying?

 **Locus:** I don't know...

 **Santa:** What _do_ you know?

 **Locus:** _I don't know!_

 **Santa:** Then _what_ do you _want_ to know?

 **Locus:** I-I want to know...what Felix is afraid of.

 **Santa:** You were broken by war. It was his goal to see you never healed...because despite what he may claim, only _one_ of you needs the other to survive.

 **Locus:** ( _groans_ ) What are you saying?

 **Santa:** Ignorant creature. Your partner is afraid of _you._

That seemed to be the answer that Ikusaba was looking for since she started nodding.

Naegi, still not sure of what was going on turned to her and tried to get her attention, "Ikusaba-san?"

"I'll explain after the episode, just know that watching this series and talking to you have been oddly cathartic," Ikusaba told him.

"Okay," was all Naegi said in reply.

 **Felix:** Locus, what are you doing? You're supposed to kill them!

 **Locus:** No.

 **Felix:** _(shocked)_ What?!

 **Sarge:** _(confused)_ What?!

 **Tucker:** _(confused)_ _What?!_

 **Locus:** No more killing.

 **Felix:** What are you talking about? You're a _soldier_ , remember?!

 **Locus:** I'm not a soldier. I'm a monster... like you.

 **Felix:** ( _standing up_ ) Locus, we're...partners. Survivors. We _need_ each other. Wh-what about our orders? Our reward?! Becoming the ultimate weapon.

 **Locus:** I'm not doing this for the reward. I'm not doing this because someone told me to. I'm doing this for _me._

 _Felix looks around and sighs._

 **Felix:** ( _darkly_ )Then you can die with the rest of them.

"Good for Locus," Ikusaba said.

"Ikusaba-san, this visit had nothing to do with you enjoying Red vs Blue did it?" Naegi asked.

"No, I mean, I have enjoyed it, it's just-," Ikusaba started.

"And the reason you've been freezing up during these videos has nothing to do with your as a mercenary, does it?"

"I don't think I ever told you I was a mercenary," Ikusaba said surprised.

"I mentioned your tattoo and Togami-kun explained what it meant," Naegi explained.

Accepting his explanation, Ikusaba then admitted, "Somewhat, but not completely,"

"Why don't you tell me?" Naegi suggested.

And so, she did: her abuse at Enoshima's hands from an early age; her time as a mercenary; her missions; everything. Well not everything, she left out Enoshima's plans to use Hope's Peak Academy for despair, she wasn't sure how to explain that and since nothing had happened yet, she figured there was no need to. When she was done she looked at Naegi, who had been silent throughout her story. She was afraid, in the short time that she had known him, Naegi had become important to her. If he thought that she was a monster she was not sure she could handle it.

Letting out a breath Naegi said, "Wow, that's a lot to take in."

That wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. Ikusaba started to worry.

There was no need. "I never thought that Enoshima-san was that kind of person. I just thought that she was milking being a younger sister and took it too far, but this is awful," Naegi said.

Ikusaba just stared at him with a confused look on her face. She finally managed to ask, "Did you hear everything else I said, Naegi-kun?"

"I did, and it's not good Ikusaba-san, but do you remember what you told me earlier today? About how you were fed up?" Naegi asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"You meant that, right? That's not who you want to be anymore?"

"Yes, I did mean it. I didn't just mean that but, you are right," Ikusaba told him.

"Well, you can't change the past. If you believe that you were wrong, then you should find a way to do something to atone. Who you were is important, but so is who you are and who you will be," Naegi explained.

Ikusaba shook her head and said, "Every time we talk you make me see things in ways I never thought to before. Thank you, Naegi-kun."

"Don't mention it, we're friends right? And like I told you before, not just me: our classmates; our senpai at this dorm; Yukizome-sensei, I'm sure they would all be willing to help you when you need it, even if you just need someone to listen to you," Naegi reminded her.

"Yeah, I think you're right. It doesn't just have to be me and Junko-chan anymore," Ikusaba said.

"I'm glad we had a chance to talk Ikusaba-san, I'm happy you trust me enough to let me in," Naegi said.

"Me too," Ikusaba agreed. Looking at the clock, Ikusaba said, "I'll let you go to bed now Naegi-kun, I need to talk to my sister."

"Are you sure she'll even be awake, it's almost lights out?" Naegi pointed out.

"She's been waiting for me to finish up in here, her true talent allows her to know things like this," Ikusaba told him.

"Her true talent?" Naegi asked.

"Junko-chan is the Ultimate Fashionista, but her real talent is lies in her analytical abilities. They are so great that she can predict the outcome of everything with perfect accuracy and know everything there is to know about a person after just meeting them," Ikusaba explained.

"That's, pretty terrifying actually," Naegi said.

"There is one exception, Junko-chan has admitted that she can't analyze you, or at the very least, not to the degree she can others," Ikusaba told him.

"Why not me?" Naegi asked.

"I don't know but be careful. Junko-chan hasn't forgiven you for trying to correct her behavior on the first day," Ikusaba warned.

"She's mad about that? What does she plan to do?" Naegi asked. If he did not know what he now knew he would think he should just be wary of a prank. Ikusaba did not convey just how horrible Enoshima could be so Naegi could not truly know the danger he was potentially in, but he was now expecting something painful.

Ikusaba, who did know what Enoshima was capable of, just smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll protect you. I'm a soldier after all."

Naegi noticed her smile and said, "I think that is first time I've ever seen you smile, it makes you look cute."

Ikusaba's face turned scarlet. After calming herself down she got up to leave but before that she needed to ask Naegi for a favor, "Naegi-kun, about Junko-chan-."

"Don't worry, I won't act any differently around her, but for your sake not hers, not yet anyway," Naegi assured her.

"Thank you. Good night Naegi-kun," Ikusaba said as she opened the door.

"Good night, Ikusaba-san. Oh, Ikusaba-san, what if any of the other girls find out you were in my room until now?"

"Don't worry, I'll tell them what happened. I'm pretty sure they'll believe me."

"Good. I'm sorry it has to be like that but most of the others don't completely trust me."

"They will, good night."

As soon as Ikusaba closed the door she heard the voice of her sister ask, "Did you two talk about anything interesting?"

Turning to Enoshima, Ikusaba just said, "Not here," and motioned for Enoshima to follow her.

Angry at being ordered around by her sister, Enoshima nevertheless followed. The soon arrived at Ikusaba's dorm room and went inside. The first thing Enoshima did was try to attack Ikusaba for daring to give her an order. Aiming a kick right at her sister's stomach, Enoshima soon found her foot caught in Ikusaba's grasp.

"No more Junko," Ikusaba said.

"No more what?" Enoshima asked, seething.

"No more causing pain, no more killing, no more despair," Ikusaba answered.

"A gross murder machine like you doesn't get to decide that," Enoshima countered.

"Murder machine, yes I suppose I was, maybe I still am since I haven't done much to change. But you heard what I told Naegi-kun, I'm fed up with it, so no more," Ikusaba said.

"Mukuro, you can't be serious. You're my sister, we're the Despair Sisters," Enoshima said, sounding desperate.

"Yes, we are, and it's because I'm your sister that I'm saying this now. I love you Junko, and you've been using that love to blackmail me. Well, I'm finally going to act like an older sister and keep you from causing trouble for other people," Ikusaba told her.

All emotion leaving her face and voice, Enoshima said, "Wow, I thought the sister card would pull you back in. You're acting like you're going to stand on your own but you're just going to lean on Hope Boy instead of me."

"You're right, but I still think it's an improvement. Even after I told him what I could: about us; about Fenrir; about your true talent; everything except your plans for despair, he said he'd help me if I needed it. That's more than you've ever done."

"I thought he also told you love was supposed to be unconditional?" Enoshima asked mockingly.

"Mine has, you've been doing everything to convince me that I have to work for yours. Well now Muku-nee has decided a tough love approach is needed because she didn't correct your behavior long ago," Ikusaba said, not even surprise that Enoshima knew about that conversation with Naegi.

"Can you let go of my foot?" Enoshima asked. Once Ikusaba let go Enoshima said, "Mukuro, I love you. I hope that all of your dreams come true one day."

Ikusaba knew what Enoshima was trying to say with that and responded, "You can try to cut ties with me Junko, but I'm not going to cut ties with you. I'll always be your sister. And it's because of that that I hope you'll understand that I'm saying all of this for your own good, I have to protect you from yourself. I'm just going to protect everyone else from you too."

"Oh, I'm so scared of the Ultimate Soldier," Enoshima mocked. "This isn't that web series you two were watching, I'm not afraid of you," she continued.

"I know. I also know it isn't me you're afraid of," Ikusaba said. Thinking of something, Ikusaba asked, "Just curious, how many of your plans don't rely on me being the muscle?"

Enoshima had to think about that one and responded with a childish, "None of your business."

"Thought so, good night Junko. I love you," Ikusaba said.

"Piss off," Enoshima said as she left. As she made her way to her room she thought, _I never really thought that Hope Boy could cause that to happen. Mukuro is so full of shit, me afraid of Naegi. Still the despair of having my sister bail on my plans; needing to scrap them completely; and the sickening realization that I actually did need her. I guess the little hope bagel can live while I break him slowly. How to do it though? I need some time, oh well, I've never had a challenge before, but I've never had someone I can't analyze before. Coming up with plans on the fly could be pretty interesting. Naegi Makoto, your fall into despair has shot to the top of my list of priorities._

Back in her room, Ikusaba let out a long, tired sigh. _I hope you will understand Junko-chan. Maybe then I can finally understand you. For real this time, not as a lie I tell myself._ An image of her and Naegi flashed in Ikusaba's mind. _I know that Junko-chan was telling me she was cutting ties with me, but I hope my dreams come true too. I think I've finally figured out what it is that Naegi-kun makes me feel. Love definitely feels better than despair._

* * *

 _Present_

"You don't owe me anything, Ikusaba-san, we're friends right?" Naegi asked.

"Yeah, friends," Ikusaba agreed. _Though if it were up to me, we'd be more than that_ , Ikusaba thought.

"Naegi-kun! Don't just pay attention to Muku-nee," a voice the two were very familiar with said. Behind Naegi, with her pigtails smoothed out and her eyes unusually big was Enoshima Junko.

"Junko-chan," Ikusaba warned through gritted teeth.

"Enoshima-san, how are you?" Naegi asked.

"Vewy bad, Muku-nee is trying to take Naegi-kun for herself," Enoshima said, still in her cutesy persona.

"You said that you hoped all my dreams came true," Ikusaba reminded her.

"Just not the ones with Naegi-kun, duh," Enoshima responded.

While the sisters argued, Naegi said, "I have to go take care of something girls, I'll see you both later. As he left, Naegi thought about his relationship with the twins formerly known as the Despair Sisters, _When Ikusaba-san and Enoshima-san finally told me everything, I was shocked, but I guess by that point I was mostly desensitized to it. Hope's Peak has been through a lot and so have I. I guess we should all feel lucky that no permanent damage has been done. A lot of good came out of it so I guess it's alright. I'm amazed at how much those two have grown since the beginning of the year. Ikusaba-san is her own person now, and Enoshima-san has become a much better person._ He was soon shaken from his thoughts by two voices.

"Sayaka-chan, you and Ibuki can change the entire world of music if we team up," the ever energetic Mioda Ibuki said.

"I'm not disagreeing with you on that point Senpai, but I don't know if our two separate styles can properly reconcile," the sweet and melodious voice of Maizono Sayaka responded.

"Mioda-senpai. Maizono-san," Naegi greeted.

"Naegi-kun!"

"Makoto-chan!"

 _The Ultimate Idol and the Ultimate Musician. Ikusaba may have been my first close friend here but these two certainly weren't far behind,_ Naegi thought as he approached the two girls.

* * *

 **Well this chapter was a lot longer than I expected it to be. A good bit of that is the transcripts from episodes of RvB but I still thought it would be shorter.**

 **Now I believe I owe you all an explanation: I'm sure some of you are wondering about my thought process with the Mukuro-Locus Felix-Junko connection. To be honest, I don't remember when that first started, but I think it was definitely after Felix revealed his true colors. I realize that the parallels are not perfect. But they were both broken and unable to function without orders, and both, at some point realized there was more out there. Sadly, Mukuro would never get the chance to act on that.**

 **The Felix-esque line I gave Junko was for more than just story reasons. A lot of what she did and how she thought leads me to believe that while she wants to do these awful things due to boredom, she may also think she has a right to do it because of her analyst talent and if she could get as far as she did then that was proof she was correct.**

"… **if I'm stronger than you and if I'm faster than you, then I can kill you! And that's better than anything money can buy!"**

 **Now compare that to her claims of perfection in DR1, her reasoning for causing the Reserve Course suicide when asked why she didn't keep them around as more brainwashed minions and I think the line I gave her makes sense:**

" **If I'm smarter than him and if I'm more talented than him, then I can do whatever I want to him, even kill him. And that feeling, as hope dies and only despair remains is the most wonderful feeling in the world."**

 **Kind of makes sense now doesn't it?**

 **Don't get me wrong, if I had to pick a Rooster Teeth villain to compare Junko to it would be Salem from RWBY, but that's another discussion for another time.**

 **I hope I portrayed the Despair Sisters well enough, I know I made that joke about Junko being one-dimensional, and her motives may be, but she really isn't. Mukuro was even harder, but I guess that's what I get for making a chapter about her breaking free from Junko's control. We already had Naegi smile at her in Chapter 1 so rather than when she fell in love with him, it had to be a chapter about Naegi helping her break free.**

 **Don't worry, I don't plan to do other chapters the way I did this one, where I switch to a transcript format, but I wanted it to be clear that they were watching something, not that I was writing two stories in one chapter. Also, I'll try to keep esoteric references to a minimum in the future.**

 **I wanted to explore what it means to be siblings a little more, but I realized there are a lot of things Mukuro could not tell Makoto and then I remembered that she was the Ultimate Soldier and how I drew parallels between her and Junko and Locus and Felix.**

 **Also, that using a loved ones' own emotions to blackmail them or to hold them hostage, trust me when I say I do know how that feels. My younger sibling was suffering from benzo addiction and they attempted to dictate terms to us because we were afraid of what would happen if they left home.**

 **Sorry for bringing down the mood like that.**

 **Let me know what you think in the reviews.**

 **If you liked it, tell me.**

 **If you didn't like it, tell me what I can do better. Don't just say I suck, give me an example, I don't want this fic's review page to turn in to the review page of my old Naruto fic.**

 **If you really, really hated it, make your worst enemy read it or tell me if you'll use it to cause despair.**

 **Good news. I wanted to hold off on this, but I think now is a good a time as any to start the vote. The Sayaka and then the Ibuki chapter are next but vote for who you want next.**

 **Akane**

 **Aoi**

 **Mahiru**

 **Sonia**

 **I think I'll start off with those four. I want certain things to happen in certain chapters but these four right now are harmless. For those disappointed that I didn't put Mikan, she will be after these four because I want to do Hiyoko's chapter right after that and I want Mikan's chapter to lead into Hiyoko's. Full disclosure, Chiaki, Chisa, and Junko will be last for this group of girls. Then I will introduce the V3 girls. Believe me there is a method to my madness, I promise.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Idol

* * *

 **Hello ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages, wesst1 back again once again.**

 **I'm really glad that you all seemed to enjoy the previous chapter, I was a little worried it wouldn't be well received, but none of you are here to read about how insecure I can be about what I write, you're here to read this chapter.**

 **Before you begin this chapter, there is a story I highly recommend that you all look into if you haven't already. "Be More Proactive This Time Around, Luckster" by jean010. For those who haven't read it yet, it is an excellent Naegi time travel story. I always check my email for news of updates and you will too by the time you get caught up on it.**

 **Ah Sayaka, what is our favorite Luckster going to help you with? Will love blossom or a crush fizzle out? Why the hell am I asking a fictional character these questions when I'm writing the story and already know the answers?**

 **Answers to all these questions and possibly more, right now.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

After he closed the distance between himself and his musically inclined friends, Naegi asked, "So, what was it you two were talking about?"

"Mioda-senpai wants us to form a group," Maizono told him.

"It would be a-maz-ing, amazing. Ibuki and Sayaka-chan could turn the whole world of music upside-down," Mioda said.

"I can't really disagree with that," Naegi said as he nodded.

"I can't either, but we practice two very different styles, reconciling them would be difficult enough, but what has me worried is how audiences would respond to a new type of sound," Maizono explained.

"That's a fair point too. A never before heard genre of music may not be well received at first," Naegi agreed.

"Makoto-chan, tell Sayaka-chan that Ibuki is right," Mioda half-whined half-pleaded.

"Well Mioda-senpai, I don't think that you're wrong, but I don't know if now is the right time to be experimenting with new types of music. You and Maizono-san have been through a lot these past few months," Naegi explained, attempting to pacify the Ultimate Musician.

 _That's true, I had to reevaluate what being an idol means to me and just what type of idol I wanted to be. But now, I really am the idol everyone admires, and it was all thanks to you Naegi-kun,_ Maizono thought.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Kitchen_

 _Third Day of Classes-After Breakfast_

Naegi had just finished cleaning up after breakfast, thanking whatever higher power was out there that he did not have to hand wash everything. _Owari-senpai eats enough for both Class 77-B and Class 78 put together. I should probably be grateful that I was able to keep my hand when I gave Senpai those thirds she asked for. I guess being an athlete means she can burn it off quickly, but still,_ Naegi thought, as he walked out of the kitchen to collect his things for class.

"Asahina-san can be just as ravenous, provided donuts or ramen are involved," a sweet, familiar voice said.

"True, and it's not that I don't appreciate a healthy appetite, but we're only a few days in and I'm already questioning if I can keep up," Naegi responded before realizing that the owner of that voice had somehow read his thoughts. Wide-eyed and confused, Naegi looked over and saw Maizono Sayaka approaching him with a smile on her face.

 _The way she moves is positively mesmerizing. No matter how you slice it, she's really beautiful. Almost like a doll or something,_ Naegi thought.

"I'm not a doll, you know. I'm alive!" Maizono suddenly said, startling Naegi.

"How are you doing that?" Naegi asked, impressed.

"I'm an esper," Maizono told him with a serious look on her face.

"What?!" Naegi exclaimed in shock.

"I'm just kidding, I just have really good intuition," Maizono explained with a laugh.

"So that comment earlier…," Naegi started.

"You seem tired and looked like you were thinking about something and we've only just had breakfast. It couldn't have been anything else. The rest really was just my intuition," Maizono explained.

"That's some impressive intuition," Naegi said. Really, what else could he say to that. Changing the subject, Naegi asked, "Were you waiting for me, Maizono-san?"

"Yes. I thought we could walk to class together," Maizono answered.

Blushing, Naegi said, "I think I'd like that." Soon the two set out from the dorm to the main building of the school side-by-side.

They walked in silence a short distance before Naegi spoke up, "Maizono-san, I know I thanked you already, but I just want to say thanks again for speaking up for me on the first day."

"Don't mention it, I was more than happy to do it," Maizono said with a smile. "Like I said, I remember you from Blackroot Junior High. Class 2 if I'm not mistaken," she added.

"That's right. You were in Class 4. I'm surprised you even remember me, back then you were already both the school's idol and a celebrity," Naegi admitted.

"Gee Naegi-kun, you make me sound like some snob," Maizono said, sounding put out.

"No, I just meant that-," Naegi started before Maizono's laughter interrupted him.

"I'm just kidding, Naegi-kun. But I still don't understand why you would think I wouldn't remember you," Maizono said.

"It's just you were so popular and I'm so normal. I never really stood out," Naegi explained.

"That's not true. In fact-," Maizono started before the two were interrupted by a loud, authoritative voice.

"Naegi-kun, Maizono-san, cease dawdling and take your seats before Sensei arrives!" Ishimaru yelled. The two were so focused on the conversation that they had apparently reached their classroom without realizing it.

"I guess we'll talk later," Naegi said. He was really curious about what it was Maizono was going to say.

"Yeah, we'll certainly have plenty of opportunities," Maizono cheerfully responded as the two entered their classroom and took their seats just as Ishimaru had instructed.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Kitchen_

 _Third Day-After Classes_

"What to make? What to make?" Naegi asked himself as he looked through the available ingredients trying to decide what to make for dinner. Spying a grater and some nagaimo Naegi thought he had found his answer until…

"Okonomiyaki for everyone seems a little ambitious, don't you think Naegi-kun?" a sweet, melodious voice asked.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Naegi conceded. Eyes widening at the realization that he was no longer alone, Naegi turned and exclaimed, "Maizono-san?!"

After laughing at Naegi's expense, Maizono greeted him properly, "Hello Naegi-kun."

"I'm sorry Maizono-san, I didn't hear you come in," Naegi apologized. Something suddenly occurred to him, "Maizono-san was I thinking out loud, I don't remember saying I was that thinking of making okonomiyaki."

"I'm an esper," Maizono said as if it were the most natural response in the world.

"'Just kidding,' right?" Naegi asked, hoping to beat her to the punch.

With a straight face, Maizono answered, "What if I wasn't kidding."

"Huh?" was Naegi's intelligent reply.

"I'm just kidding, I swear I just have really good intuition. However, you were looking at the grater and the nagaimo like you had an epiphany of some kind though," Maizono told him.

"Like I said this morning, that _is_ some good intuition. Especially since you got the dish right," Naegi said.

"You don't need to go overboard, I'm sure everyone will appreciate whatever it is you make for dinner," Maizono told him.

"Maybe, I guess cooking for this many people and the situation as a whole makes me feel like I need to go the extra mile," Naegi responded.

"I guess I can understand," Maizono said, acknowledging the awkwardness of Naegi's living situation.

"I mean I guess hot pot or curry rice would be good," Naegi said more to himself than Maizono.

"I like hot pot, sukiyaki sounds great in fact," Maizono said.

"Okay, it's a little late but to celebrate our new school year we will be having sukiyaki for dinner," Naegi said as he started collecting what he needed.

"Do you want help?" Maizono asked. "I may not look like it but I am a good cook."

"Really? Do you have a specialty?" Naegi asked.

"Yep, chili oil," Maizono said with a smile.

"The condiment?" Naegi asked.

"Just kidding. About the chili oil I mean, I can cook," Maizono clarified, laughing.

Naegi let out a few low chuckles of his own before saying, "I appreciate the offer Maizono-san, but I did agree to handle the meals and chores. I'd at least like to make it through the first week before asking for help if that makes sense."

"I suppose it does, you think the other girls will doubt your sincerity or commitment if you have help right?" Maizono asked.

"That intuition of yours is fearsome, that's it exactly," Naegi confirmed. He then said, "I wouldn't mind a little bit of company though, if you want to stay and talk."

"Sure, I'd be more than happy to," she said, and from the tone in her voice Naegi could tell she meant that. Maizono soon continued, **"** I never thought I'd get a chance to really talk to you like this. All through junior high, you never talked to me. In fact, you never even looked at me."

"Like I said this morning; you were already popular and a celebrity. I couldn't just go around staring at you," Naegi explained. Then once Maizono's words had completely registered he asked, "Wait, how do you know I never looked at you?"

"Because I looked at you all the time," she answered.

"Huh?"

"I was always looking for an opportunity to talk to you," she clarified.

"You...wanted to talk to me?"

"But since I always had so many people around me, we ended up graduating without saying a word," Maizono said in disappointment before she continued, "And honestly, that was one of my biggest regrets."

"But…why me?" Naegi asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Do you remember during our first year of junior high, that huge bird wandered into the school pond?" Maizono asked him. "It was like out of a fairy tale. The turtle once every million years, the bird once every thousand."

"The crane, right? It just walked right into the pond." Naegi remembered.

"That's right! It was so big; the teacher had no idea what to do." Then she smiled. "But you led it into the forest behind the school. You helped it find its way out."

"Well yeah, but only because I was already in charge of taking care of animals at school. They made me do it," Naegi explained.

"I don't know, I think it would have been enough to lead it out of the pond. And the look on your face back then said you cared a lot about its well-being," Maizono countered.

"Well like I said I was in charge of the animals, but I think anyone in my position would have done the same," Naegi said, thinking Maizono was making too big a deal out of one act of kindness.

"I wonder about that. But-," Maizono started.

"But, what?" Naegi pressed.

"I should have said thank you then, but….is it okay if I do it now?" Maizono inquired.

"Thank me?" Naegi repeated in confusion.

"I'm that crane, you see," Maizono declared. She continued, "I've come to return the favor. Here, let me make you a cloak."

The look on Naegi's face at that statement was priceless.

Having had her fun, Maizono said, "Just kidding!"

"Y-Yeah, I kinda figured," Naegi responded, finally starting to get used to Maizono's sense of humor.

"Honestly though, I was so impressed," Maizono continued, "That's why I wanted to talk to you, even just once. I never imagined this would be how I got my chance."

"Yeah, being classmates would have been one thing, but this feels like something out of a manga or anime or even a sitcom," Naegi said, starting to laugh. When he didn't hear Maizono joining in he turned and saw a pout on her face. Realizing he may have ruined the moment, Naegi started to apologize, "I'm sorry Maizono, I know you were serious, I just thought that-." He stopped once Maizono's mask broke and she started giggling.

"I'm sorry, Naegi-kun I couldn't resist. You're right I was serious but you're also right that this situation is just so ridiculous," Maizono said once she calmed down. She then continued, "Yamada-kun may have been right, you do seem like a harem manga protagonist."

"I don't know if I'd go that far," Naegi said, blushing.

"Really because once the girls warm up to you you'll meet most of the criteria: You live with a bunch of girls; you're taking care of them; you're always so kind-," Maizono started.

"I don't think girls are going to start fighting over me though, Maizono-san," Naegi countered.

 _They better not,_ Maizono thought angrily, she had been having fun but the idea of other girls being attracted to Naegi did not appeal to her. Pushing that anger down and putting on a smile, she then said, "I'm just kidding, Naegi-kun. You're just so fun to tease."

"If you say so Maizono-san," Naegi said shaking his head. He then said, "Maizono-san could you tell everyone dinner will be ready in…give me twenty minutes."

"Okay, I'll go get everyone," Maizono said as she left the kitchen. As she left she thought, _All kidding aside, as much as I want the other girls to like Naegi-kun, I don't want them to like him too much. I suppose if they do I can handle it. I hate doing it, but I've ruined other girls before. It will be easier than with other idols. In this case all iIneed is a few catty remarks here, a few rumors there, and their reputation is beyond saving._ When those thoughts started to make her feel sick, Maizono tried to brush them aside, _It was all for the dream. As long as I'm number one it's all worth it. If I have to play dirty; if I have to pose in revealing clothes even if I'm underage; I'm the Ultimate Idol and the dream will continue. This is a different dream, a different goal, but as long as I succeed it's worth it._ Maizono had managed to settle herself down somewhat, but there was still a slight hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach and a nagging feeling in the back of her head; both of which had become all too familiar recently.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Courtyard_

 _Second Week of Classes-Wednesday_

As Naegi made his way back to the dorm, he was remembering a conversation that he had with Komaru the last time they spoke. The topic: Maizono Sayaka's autograph. "I guess we've all had time to settle in; it is the second week of classes," he reasoned. As luck would have it, he noticed Maizono close by and in the middle of a conversation with Kuwata Leon.

Naegi had made it a point to try to get to know his classmates as best he could and Kuwata was someone he had been able to connect with right away. The Ultimate Baseball Star had found Naegi's living situation a source of entertainment at first but recently he was showing another emotion that Naegi could not quite place whenever the topic of Naegi's relationship with the girls came up.

Seeing the two conversing, Naegi thought that they could be discussing one of two things: Kuwata's attraction to Maizono, or Kuwata's desire to pursue a career in music. Now, Naegi liked Kuwata, but he doubted that Kuwata was serious about either. If Kuwata's comments about a girl he spoke to at a hair salon were any indication, Kuwata was too focused on appearances and not the actual girl. Funnily enough, the story of the girl at the salon was also why Naegi doubted Kuwata's commitment to a music career, she had told Kuwata she only dated musicians. That was not the deciding factor in Kuwata's decision, that was the sole reason for it. Kuwata had claimed he came to Hope's Peak to become the Ultimate Musician, and to his credit, discovering that Mioda Ibuki already held the title did not discourage him as much as one would have thought. Even with that knowledge, Naegi was still convinced Kuwata would drop the idea of being a musician when a prettier girl caught his eye and said she only dated athletes. But Naegi was not here to question Kuwata's motives, he was here to ask Maizono for an autograph for Komaru.

"Maizono-san! Kuwata-kun!" Naegi called out.

"Ah, Naegi-kun!" Maizono responded happily.

"Hey Naegi," Kuwata said.

"Maizono-san, I was wondering if I could ask you something?"

"What is it?" Maizono asked.

"Well, my sister is a huge fan, a Sayaker, if you ask her, and when I told her that we were classmates she asked if I could get your autograph," Naegi explained.

"Absolutely, in fact, I can give you an autographed photo to give her. We just need to go back to my room," Maizono said as she grabbed his hand.

"Right now?" Naegi asked, surprised.

"I still have some questions," Kuwata said, both indignant and jealous.

"I'm sorry Kuwata-kun, but my knowledge of Punk is very limited. You might have better luck asking Mioda-senpai," Maizono explained as she led Naegi by the hand back to the dorm.

"But she already said that-," Kuwata tried to say before the two were out of earshot. This wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. When he had gone to Mioda earlier, he ran his plan past her and even offered her the lead guitarist spot in his as of yet unformed band, she rejected him outright. And just now, Naegi shows up and Maizono dropped everything to give him an autographed photo.

On the first day, when it had been discovered that Naegi would be living at the girl's dorm, Kuwata had been the first one to laugh. He certainly wasn't laughing now. Between how close Naegi had become with Ikusaba; all the times he and Mioda would "play"; just now with Maizono; and Kuwata had even noticed that Enoshima had a hard time keeping her eyes off of Naegi. Now, one question was plaguing Kuwata's mind.

"What does he have that I don't?" Kuwata asked no one particular.

* * *

 _A Few Minutes Later_

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm_

Maizono still had Naegi by the hand as she moved a little too quickly towards her room. The other girls that the two passed seemed to have varying opinions on the sight of the two: most wondered what was going on; Saionji and Koizumi looked as though their concerns about Naegi had been vindicated; and Ikusaba had shot Maizono the iciest glare that the idol had ever seen.

Naegi had missed all of that, his focus was on the idol pulling him along. "Maizono-san, you could have finished up with Kuwata-kun. When I said my sister wanted an autograph, I didn't mean right this minute," Naegi explained. Even though he wasn't sure he had done anything wrong, he made a mental note to apologize to Kuwata-kun later.

"It's fine. I wanted to do this before I forgot," Maizono explained. _I also wanted out of that conversation. Kuwata-kun is nice enough, but Mioda-senpai was right about how draining he can be when you see how unmotivated and uncommitted he really is,_ Maizono thought, remembering a conversation she had early on with Mioda who was uncharacteristically lethargic after discussing the topic of a music career with Kuwata.

"Do you usually keep a stack of autographed photos close by?" Naegi asked. He had heard of celebrities doing such a thing before, but he had never believed it was a real thing, even if it did sound convenient.

"It is convenient, I usually keep them for things like concerts and hand shake events, but I thought I might run into a few fans here," Maizono explained, once again reading Naegi perfectly. "I'm sorry, that sounds conceited doesn't it?" Maizono asked as soon as her explanation registered with her.

"Not at all, you're the Ultimate Idol, the idol that everyone admires, I think you would have more than a few fans at Hope's Peak Academy," Naegi assured her.

"That's sweet of you to say Naegi-kun," Maizono said as they reached their destination. Naegi, remembering that this was Maizono's room, realized that there was a slight problem.

"Maizono-san, I don't think I can go in there," he said pointing at her door.

"Huh? Oh. Oh!" Maizono said as she realized the implications of Naegi entering her room given his situation. "Sorry, Naegi-kun I forgot. Oh, and the others saw me dragging you here. Don't worry, I'll explain everything to them," Maizono told him.

"Thank you, Maizono-san. I don't mean to cause problems, but I need to be very careful about how I act right now. Although, since I plan to mail the photo to Komaru I could just make sure everyone sees the photo while I address the envelope. Provided I do that right away," Naegi reasoned.

Maizono had gone into her room, leaving her door wide open while she went through her things. "You really shouldn't have to though," she said. Once she found what she was looking for she took the photo over to her room's desk to sign it and continued, "I'd still feel better if I told explained what was going on myself." Once she finished, she took the photo and handed it to Naegi.

"I appreciate that Maizono-san," Naegi said. Reading the message Naegi said, "'To Naegi Komaru. Never give up on your dreams! I'm always rooting for you! -Maizono Sayaka.' That's beautiful Maizono-san, she'll really appreciate it."

"Does Komaru-chan already have a dream she's chasing?" Maizono asked.

"Yeah, she wants to be a mangaka," Naegi told her. Looking off to the side he then said, "I kind of envy her."

"Why is that?" Maizono asked.

"Well Ikusaba-san and I were talking about this not that long ago; I still don't know what it is I want to do," Naegi admitted.

Feeling more than a little jealous of the Ultimate Soldier, Maizono still managed to smile and ask, "Is that so?"

Sensing something was wrong but not sure what, Naegi simply continued, hoping that it would work itself out, "Yeah, she said she wanted to chase a new dream but wasn't sure what. I told her I have the same problem." Then deciding that it would be a good opportunity to learn about his classmate, Naegi asked, "What about you Maizono-san? Has your dream always been to be an idol?"

A smile formed on her lips as she began, "Pretty much. For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a star. Let me start at the beginning. I grew up without a mother, you know, and my dad worked really late every night. I was always home alone. I was just a kid, you know? So, I was really lonely."

Naegi simply nodded, he could certainly understand.

"But that all changed when I saw an idol on TV for the first time. She was so pretty, like a princess. And she could sing, and dance, but more than anything else, there was her smile. Looking at her smile, I could feel my loneliness melting away. I decided that's what I wanted to be someday. I wanted to give that kind of encouragement to others. Eventually, that became my dream."

Naegi smiled, Maizono's motivation sounded so pure. _She really deserves to be the Ultimate Idol_ , he thought. What Maizono said next though made him worry.

"I did whatever it took to reach that dream. I mean it. Even some things that," she paused before saying, "weren't so pleasant."

"Oh God, you didn't have to…" Naegi started, trying to think of how to ask the question and afraid of the answer.

Maizono hardly needed her intuition to know what Naegi was thinking and frantically said, "No, no, no, no no! Nothing that bad, but some of my photo shoots have me in outfits that showed off more skin than I was comfortable with at the time. Sadly, gravure modeling comes with the territory. Thankfully, junior idol merchandise is highly regulated even if it is on legally ambiguous grounds, so we were okay on that front."

"Okay," Naegi said as he calmed down. Once he had calmed down completely, he said, "I guess when the sweet and pure Maizono Sayaka says she had to do things that 'weren't so pleasant' it just sounds really bad."

 _Sweet and pure, that's the image isn't it. But I'm not always sweet and the methods I use against rival groups are hardly pure,_ Maizono thought sadly. She pushed those thoughts aside and continued, "I honestly believed that as long as you kept chasing your dreams, someday they may come true. But to do that, you can't take your eyes off that dream, not even for a second. Even if sometimes it's a bad dream…whether you're awake or asleep, to make your dream a reality, you have to keep your gaze fixed on it no matter that world, if you lose focus for even a split second, you get left behind. You have to keep on swimming against the current, without even taking time to breathe. That's the kind of world my dream lives in."

"Is it really that tough? Is it no fun at all?" Naegi asked.

"Oh no, don't get the wrong idea. It's super fun! But that's exactly what scares me," Maizono said.

"I'm not sure I understand," Naegi admitted.

"Well, I enjoy every single day I wake up and get to do what I do. Everyone in our group is amazing. We're rivals in a way, but they all mean so much to me. We've performing together since we were young, so they're all like family to me. Without them, I would've given up on my dream a long time ago. To work together, and fulfill our dreams together, has brought me so much happiness," Maizono explained with a smile.

But then the smile soon disappeared as she said, "But that's the thing that scares me the most. If the world gets tired of us, then what happens? What happens to us? Then the dream dies, those wonderful days come to an end, and everyone goes their separate ways." _All the backstabbing, the planted rumors, the girls whose reputations that I've helped to ruin, it would all become worthless,_ Maizono thought grimly.

Noticing that Maizono was upset, Naegi attempted to get her attention, "Maizono-san?"

"So that's the reason I decided to come to Hope's Peak," Maizono said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Naegi asked.

"Well...they say that if you graduate from here, success is basically guaranteed. Which means I could keep on performing with my best friends, forever and ever," She explained. _That's right: if the dream is alive then there is no reason to feel guilty. Everything wass worth it,_ she thought, not that she entirely believed it.

"So what kind of idol do you want to be?" Naegi asked.

"Huh?" Maizono asked, confused.

"Sorry, maybe it would be more accurate to ask, 'What kind of star do you want to be?'" Naegi clarified.

Maizono still looked confused.

"What I mean is groups like Arashi are still idols even in their mid-thirties. And some idols from the golden age in the 1980's like Matsuda Seiko are still active. But some idols go on to become models, singers, or actors and actresses since their time as idols gave them experience in all of those areas," Naegi explained. _I really hope you don't become an AV idol Maizono-san,_ Naegi thought, hoping that this would be one time Maizono couldn't read him.

"Well…" Maizono started. To be honest, she had been so focused on her current career that she hadn't thought about what was next for her or her group. Staying an idol group would mean that they would always be together but for the first time Maizono began to question whether or not that was realistic. If Hope's Peak guaranteed success that might be possible for her but what about the others? Her fears seemed closer to becoming a reality than before.

Sensing her distress Naegi said, "I'm sorry, Maizono-san, I didn't mean to upset you with that question. Like I said earlier, you are the idol everyone admires, and when you said you had always wanted to be a star I got curious about what was next for someone who has already come so far. But it's okay if you don't tell me. It's fine if you aren't sure yourself, you have time."

"Yeah, you're right. You're right," Maizono said, calming down. She knew Naegi didn't mean to upset her. She also knew it was a legitimate question, but she wanted to enjoy her time as an idol for as long as she could without worrying about what came next.

"Well, thank you for the photo Maizono-san, Komaru will love it," Naegi said. As he headed to his room for an envelope and a pen, he turned and said, "Maizono-san, it might not mean much coming from me, but I don't believe that anyone will get tired of you. And even if you and your friends go your separate ways as stars, from what you described your bonds aren't so fragile that those wonderful days will ever really end. They'll continue because you are like family; because just as that idol from your childhood inspired you, you've done so to countless others, your fans and the next generation of idols alike, so you shouldn't worry."

Maizono simply said, "Thank you Naegi-kun." But as beautiful as she thought what Naegi said was, she still thought, _I'm sorry Naegi-kun. I appreciate what you said but that's not how it works in my world._

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Outside the Main Building_

 _Second Week of Classes-Friday_

It was lunch break for the students of Hope's Peak and Maizono was on her phone. Her group's manager, a woman named Oumi Kanami, had called her to inform her of an upcoming interview that an up-and-coming junior idol was giving that evening and said it would be a good opportunity for opposition research.

"Yes ma'am, I'll be sure to watch," Maizono said.

" _Have you finished that new song?"_ Oumi asked.

"Not yet ma'am, I seem to be having some trouble," Maizono reluctantly answered. The truth was she had no idea what kind of song to write.

" _Sayaka we don't have a lot of time. That interview you and the girls have scheduled is next weekend and it was agreed that there would be a live performance with a brand new song before the end of the show."_

"I know ma'am. I don't know what's wrong, I've never had trouble with this before," Maizono said. She knew what her manager was going to say next and she was not looking forward to hearing it.

" _Well you need to figure it out if you want to stay on top. The other groups won't just wait for you to finish a song."_

"I know ma'am, it will be done in time to rehearse for the show," Maizono assure the older woman.

" _I'll see what I can find out about this new girl."_

That caused Maizono to shudder. Watching interviews was one thing, learning about new idols always motivated her to work harder. Her manager's opposition research made Maizono uncomfortable in ways she didn't know were possible before becoming an idol. Oumi would find dirt, usually about a secret boyfriend; it would get leaked to the media; pictures would surface and even if the rival idol's career survived it would be badly damaged. If there was one thing about being an idol that Maizono hated it was this. Even the most innocent gestures of affection were considered a scandal in this line of work. She couldn't understand it; people fall in love; she was sure even the most hardcore fans understood that. If she was being honest, lately even she…

As if responding to those thoughts, a certain luckster appeared and greeted her, "Oh, hey Maizono-san."

Maizono waved to respond, but there was one problem. Her manager had heard Naegi's voice.

" _Sayaka, who is that? Please say you don't have a boyfriend. If this gets out then-,"_ Oumi started to say frantically.

Cutting her off, Maizono explained, "That was my classmate. Another ultimate. Naegi Makoto, the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78 if you need to look him up."

" _Oh. Oh alright. Thank God for that,"_ Oumi said.

"I'll get the song done by tomorrow and I'll be sure to watch the interview this evening," Maizono said.

" _Good, we can start rehearsing tomorrow afternoon then. You know the time and the place,"_ Oumi said hanging up.

Maizono let out a sigh. She wasn't lying when she told Naegi being an idol was fun, but he was right, it was tough.

"Whoever that was on the other end of that call, I hope I didn't upset them too badly," Naegi said as he got closer.

"That was my manager, Oumi-san, and I think she'll be fine. She thought I had a secret boyfriend and started to panic," Maizono explained.

"Oh, I wondered why you told them my name and title. I couldn't make out the words, but your manager did sound upset," Naegi said.

Noticing Naegi's slightly disheveled appearance and that he was sweating Maizono asked, "Are you alright Naegi-kun?

"Huh?" Naegi asked back before he looked at his clothes and said, "Oh that, after I finished lunch Mioda-senpai came over and wanted to play tag."

Noticing how happy Naegi looked when he was talking about Mioda caused that jealous feeling that had been inspired by Naegi's relationship with Ikusaba to resurface. Pushing that aside, Maizono decided that there was something that she needed to ask. "Listen, may I ask you just one question?"

"There's no need to be so formal Maizono-san. What's the question?"

"Well, it's not something I can just blurt out," Maizono admitted. "Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked.

That threw Naegi for a loop, "Wh-What?!"

"Huh? Are you embarrassed?" Maizono asked. "Does that mean you do?" A slightly disappointed look was etched on her face as she asked.

When Naegi saw that look he managed to calm down and say, "I don't have a girlfriend Maizono-san. Like I told Enoshima-san, romance isn't something someone in my situation can indulge in being a boy in the girls' dorm and all."

"Enoshima-san?" Maizono questioned. The jealousy had come back and much worse than before; if Enoshima Junko had taken an interest in Naegi then Maizono may have a real problem.

Figuring he should explain, Naegi said, "Ikusaba-san and I had been watching Red vs. Blue together. Enoshima-san said she wanted something to tease us about and I reminded her of my situation." _Well, that's true enough,_ Naegi thought, remembering his promise to Ikusaba.

"Oh," Maizono said, she calmed down thinking that she didn't need to worry about Enoshima, but she still didn't like the idea of Ikusaba spending too much time with Naegi. "Then….do you at least have a crush on someone?" she asked hesitantly.

Caught off guard again, Naegi exclaimed, "J-Just wait a second! What's going on here? Why are you asking me all these questions?"

"I was just curious, so I thought I'd ask," Maizono explained with a smile. "Is that bad?"

"It's not that it's bad…." Naegi said, a bright blush on his face.

The two were silent for a moment before Maizono spoke up again, "So? Aren't you going to ask me?"

"Huh? What?"

"No, not what. Aren't you going to ask if I have a boyfriend or not?" Maizono asked.

"Well since you said your manager was panicking at the thought of you having a secret boyfriend, I'd guess not. Although, I doubt you'd have trouble finding one," Naegi said honestly. He had no doubt that Maizono could have any man she set her sights on.

"That's sweet of you to say, but the truth is I'm way too busy for things like that," Maizono said blushing.

"Then do you have a crush on someone?" Naegi asked. _Turnabout is fair play Maizono-san,_ Naegi thought. He may have to miss out on romance for the time being, but everything else that made high school memorable was fair game.

"Hmm, I wonder…." Maizono said with a smile on her face. "Let's just say…there's someone I'm interested in," she finished as she stared right into his eyes, her cheeks red.

 _Wow, she turned that around quick, I guess I can't beat her when it comes to teasing,_ Naegi thought.

"I'm not just teasing, there is someone I'm interested in," Maizono said, displaying her amazing intuition again.

 _Not_ _ **just**_ _teasing, huh. So, it could be me or it could be someone else. Probably someone else,_ Naegi thought. "Well Maizono-san, I guess we're in the same position. If we have crushes, we'll need to stick to subtle ways of getting our feelings across for now," Naegi said.

Maizono knew that Naegi was semi-serious but a lightbulb still went off in Maizono's head when Naegi had finished, "Naegi-kun, I think that you've just helped me write a new song."

To that, Naegi's intelligent response was, "Huh?"

* * *

 _That Evening_

 _Girls' Dorm Common Area_

Getting the remote had not been easy, but Maizono had gained allies in Mioda and Yukizome when she said that she had to watch something for her idol work. Maizono, Naegi, and some of the girls were now watching the program that Maizono's manager had mentioned. About halfway through, the host began introducing the junior idol.

"And now, we have a very special guest. Here to hippity-hop straight into our hearts, going by the stage name Rippyon, Momose Riyu!"

A young girl, no older than twelve-years-old, with pink hair in pigtails and pink eyes. She wore a white blouse that puffed up at the shoulders and a red skirt with red suspenders. What stood out the most about her, and what made her introduction make sense, was her hairband with white rabbit ears on it and her white rabbit purse.

"Hello everyone, it Momose Riyu. Let's hippity-hop straight into your hearts!" the girl, Momose greeted.

The first thing that Maizono noticed, and that everyone else noticed, was that this girl was adorable. She would have no problem making it as an idol.

"Riyu-chan, may I call you Riyu-chan?" the host asked.

"Oh yes. I must say it is an honor to be on your show," Momose said with a bright smile.

"So polite. Riyu-chan, let me start with the obvious question: What made you want to be an idol?"

"Well, I think that all girls want to be idols at some point. As for me, I saw other idols singing and sparkling on my TV and wanted nothing more than to stand by their sides. Although it wasn't until my older sister got tickets to see my favorite idol live and in concert that I made my decision."

"Would you mind telling us who this mystery idol is?"

"I don't want to embarrass her, but I will say that all junior idols admire her. I need to work even harder so that I sparkle and shine just as much as she does. One day I hope to meet her face to face and thank her for what she did for me."

The interview continued but the sound was soon drowned out by a voice of one of the dorm's more problematic residents.

"She's so sugary sweet you'd probably get cavities just being around her," Enoshima said.

"That might be a bit excessive, don't you think Enoshima-san?" Naegi asked.

"My sister's hyperbole aside I have to agree, she does seem like a sweet and kind little thing," Ikusaba stated.

Maizono had been silent since the interview had begun. She was so focused on Momose that she didn't hear the others until Mioda tapped her shoulder.

"Is Sayaka-chan alright?" Mioda asked.

"I'm fine Senpai, just-," Maizono started before Enoshima interrupted her.

"She just thinks that her position as top idol is in danger as long as Rippyon is an idol. You should probably nip this in the bud as soon as you can Maizono-san," Enoshima said. She still had yet to come up with a plan to cause Naegi despair, so she would have to settle for his friends for now. _The Ultimate B-List Celebrity is on the fence right now, but all she needs is a little push and she'll destroy that girl's career. She can lie to herself all she wants but she hates that she's help ruin so many other potential idols. Making her hate her own career, I wish I could taste that kind of despair for myself. If I get proof that she did those things then there's no limit to what I can do with her afterwards,_ Enoshima thought.

One look at her sister was all it took for Ikusaba to know what Enoshima was thinking. She wouldn't say she and Maizono were close, but she wouldn't let Enoshima drive anyone to despair. That said, she wasn't sure what to do about it. Talking someone back from the brink wasn't something she was good at. Thankfully there was someone who was next to her who was. Although the thought of it made her jealous, she knew that she could leave Maizono to Naegi.

Maizono, who had gone silent again when Enoshima interrupted her. The truth was she was afraid that some new idol would replace her one day, and there was a chance that Momose Riyu was that idol. Could she do go through with it this time? Could she help to ruin someone as young as Momose Riyu? The others had been full-fledged idols, not junior idols. With these thoughts swimming around in her head, she got up and went outside.

"Sayaka-chan seemed pretty out of it," Mioda said.

"Naegi-kun, maybe you should talk to her," Ikusaba suggested.

"Yeah, I'll go see if she's alright," Naegi said as he got up and followed Maizono. When he found her, she was hugging herself with an expression that Naegi knew didn't belong on anyone's face. Naegi didn't have Maizono's intuition, but if he had to guess, he would say that was a look of someone contemplating doing something they knew that they would regret. It was then that he remembered the words Maizono had said when he got that autograph for Komaru. _I did whatever it took to reach that dream. I mean it. Even some things that weren't so pleasant._ Recalling Ikusaba's warning about Enoshima's talent and considering Enoshima's recent words, Naegi was forced to consider something: _Would Maizono-san really do something to sabotage Momose's career? Did she do that to anyone else? No, Maizono-san isn't that kind of person._

Managing to push those thoughts aside for now, Naegi asked, "Maizono-san, are you okay?" Surprised, Maizono turned to look at Naegi. The look on her face from before was gone but Naegi still thought that she seemed upset.

Forcing a smile onto her face, Maizono said, "I'm fine, Naegi-kun, thanks for asking."

"Are you sure? You looked like you were thinking about something unpleasant until just now?"

"I was," Maizono admitted, knowing she couldn't hide this from Naegi.

"Is it about Momose-san?" Naegi asked.

"Yes. She's so cute and she carried herself so well in that interview. What if-," she began.

"Your fans aren't going to switch to another idol Maizono-san," Naegi assured her.

"You don't know that!" Maizono practically screamed.

Naegi didn't waver however and said, "Well, just to be sure, let's ask the Number One Sayaker." With that Naegi pulled out his phone, pulled up his contacts, and selected the one labeled "Komaru." Before his sister picked up however he put his sister on speaker phone and put a finger to his lips.

"' _Click' Onii-chan? Is everything alright?"_ the voice of Naegi Komaru asked.

"Everything is fine Komaru, I just wanted to know if you saw that interview with Momose Riyu?" Naegi asked.

" _Rippyon? She's so cute. I think she's going to be great,"_ Komaru said.

Maizono looked downcast but what Komaru said perked her back up.

" _Of course, she's no Maizono Sayaka, no else is that good. Did you know that all my friends are jealous of that autographed picture you sent me? They can't believe that my brother got to go to junior high and high school with Maizono Sayaka,"_ Komaru bragged.

"Really now?" Naegi asked, seeing a slightly relieved look on Maizono's face, Naegi allowed himself an uncharacteristically smug tone.

" _Is this all you called about?"_ Komaru asked.

"Maizono-san was a little worried that her fans would switch over to Momose-san, so I wanted to check with her biggest fan," Naegi explained.

" _Well, let her know that she has nothing to worry about. No matter how popular Rippyon becomes, Maizono-san will still be number one!"_ Komaru exclaimed.

"I appreciate that Komaru-chan," Maizono said, breaking her silence.

" _Onii-chan, i-is th-that really-,"_ Komaru started.

"I've heard that you're my biggest fan, Komaru-chan. I'm glad I finally get a chance to speak to you," Maizono said.

A loud thump was heard on the other end of phone.

"Komaru? Komaru?" Naegi asked. When he didn't get an answer, he hung up and said, "I guess she had a fangirl overload and fainted."

Maizono giggled in response.

Happy that his friend seemed to be in better spirits, Naegi knew there was one more thing he had to do. "Maizono-san, I owe you an apology," he said.

"For what?" she asked, confusion apparent on her face.

"When I was coming out here I was thinking about what Enoshima-san had said and I was sure that it had upset you. I also remembered that you told me that you've done things that 'weren't so pleasant' not that long ago. I was worried that you'd take her words to heart and do something to sabotage Momose-san."

Maizono looked worried. _Please tell me he hasn't figured it out. I couldn't take it if Naegi-kun knew!_ she thought.

Luckily for Maizono, Naegi couldn't look her in the face for having doubted her so he did not notice her worried look and continued, "But I realize that you aren't the type of person who could do that to someone. I don't think that you could be the idol that everyone admires if you weren't a genuinely good person."

Maizono was slightly relieved that Naegi was none the wiser to the things that she had done to stay on top, although she felt disgusted with herself hearing Naegi praise her when she knew the truth.

"Let's go back inside, it's getting late," Naegi said.

Maizono nodded and the two walked side-by-side to their respective rooms.

"It's kind of funny," Naegi mused.

"What is?" Maizono asked.

"Remember when I asked you what kind of idol you wanted to be? Well, I think that when I said you were a genuinely good person I answered my own question. I mean the kind of star you want to be is an important part of that answer, but the kind of star you want to be; the kind of idol you want to be; the kind of person you want to be; maybe they all have the same answer," Naegi explained. Thinking about it he then said, "Sorry, I guess it doesn't make sense when I say it out loud like that."

"No, I think I know what you mean," Maizono said as she stopped at her door.

Naegi turned to her and said, "I should call home and make sure Komaru didn't hurt herself. Good night Maizono-san."

"Good night, Naegi-kun," Maizono responded. As soon as she was inside her room she threw herself onto her bed and started to sob. She had no idea how she kept it together once Naegi had finished his thoughts. _A genuinely good person_ , that was the phrase that echoed in her mind. Lifting her head from the pillow she had buried it in she looked to the side at some sheets of paper. It was the song that Naegi had inspired her to write. _What good will that do me now? If Naegi finds out what I'm really like then he won't want anything to do with me,_ she thought. Squeezing her eyes shut, but unable to stop the tears Maizono's final thoughts before she cried herself to sleep were, _I'm sorry Naegi-kun! I'm sorry I'm not the person you think I am!_

* * *

 _Third Week of Classes-Saturday Evening_

 _Television Studio-Dressing Room_

The past week had been difficult. Maizono and her group had been practicing every day after classes and finally they were ready for their appearance. Rather, everyone but Maizono was ready, she had not been able to get it together. She could coordinate with the others; she knew the words, she wrote the song after all; but she was just going through the motions. Her group and her manager knew that she was just going through the motions. When asked about it, she would always reply that she would be ready for their television appearance.

Her conversations with Naegi had made her question if being an idol was worth it. She had always feared that her desire to stay an idol had made her a worse person, but she had always managed to convince herself that she was worrying too much. As long as she stayed on top, as long as she could continue performing with her friends it was worth it. Only now she was beginning to think maybe it wasn't. At the same time, she had been doing things the way she had for so long and ruined so many potential idols that she didn't think that she could change. This inner conflict had been the cause of her poor performance and it didn't seem to be ending anytime soon. She didn't understand though; whatever she may have felt for Naegi, she didn't understand why his words had shaken her so much when no one else's words had.

 _That's a lie though. I've had people tell me how great I am; how amazing I am; how wonderful; how I deserve to be number one, but no one has ever really told me how good I am. I'm not a good person, no matter how much I wish I still was,_ Maizono thought sadly.

"Sayaka, are you listening?" Oumi's voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Yes ma'am," Maizono answered. Her full attention now on her manager.

"The show starts in 45 minutes. The performance is scheduled for the final segment. I trust that you are all ready?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am!" the group answered.

"I'll be back soon with what I was able to find on Momose Riyu, then we can decide what to do with it," she said as she left.

Once she was gone Maizono sank into her chair. It was always like this; their manager would find things out through these unnamed sources and the group would decide what outlet to leak the information to.

"Sayaka-chan, are you alright?" a voice asked. It was Aoba Satomi. Aoba was a girl who looked a lot like Maizono just with shorter hair.

"I'm fine Satomi-chan," Maizono answered.

"Of course you are, that's why your performance has been so poor this past week," another girl said. This was Haneyam Ayaka. Haneyam had long, dark brown hair divided into two batches on the back and cut in neat bangs on the front, covering her forehead. Her eyes were a dark grayish-green and very thin. Her ears were kind of big and her nose was a bit plump.

"Ayaka-chan!" Aoba scolded.

"No Satomi-chan, she's right. I'm not okay," Maizono admitted.

"What's the matter?" Aoba asked.

"I've been thinking of all of the information we've leaked on other girls and groups and it's finally caught up with me I suppose," Maizono said.

"Well, to be honest Sayaka-chan, we've been discussing that for a while," Aoba said as the other girls except Haneyam nodded.

"And?" Maizono asked.

"We think it's been tainting the whole experience for us. We'd really like to stop," Aoba finished.

"Do you all feel this way?" Maizono asked.

Again, three of the girls nodded but Haneyam answered, "Not me."

"Ayaka-chan," Aoba said sadly.

"What? We aren't the only ones who do it. We agreed that when we made it to the top we would stay there, no matter what we had to do," she said that last part with her eyes and her tone downcast. If Maizono's intuition was correct, and it was correct 99.9% of the time, Haneyam felt the same way she did, that they had been doing this for too long to stop now.

Maizono stood up and said, "I'm going to get some air." Aoba raised her arm as if to stop her but seemed to decide against it at the last minute. Once the door closed Maizono let her mind wander and let her feet take her wherever. She didn't get very far until she bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry," Maizono said as she got up and went to help the person she bumped into.

"No, it was my fault, I was a little distracted," the other person, a young girl said as she grabbed Maizono's hand. It was then that the two got a good look at each other.

"M-momose Riyu?!" Maizono exclaimed.

"M-maizono Sayaka-senpai?!" Momose shouted.

To say Maizono was shocked would be an understatement. She never expected to run into Mimose Riyu.

Mimose, however, was now sporting one of the brightest smiles that Maizono had ever seen before she remembered something. "Oh, my bag," she said as she picked up her bag and the outfit that had fallen out of it.

Maizono managed to get a good look at the outfit and her shock only increased. It resembled an outfit she and her group had worn for their first major performance only smaller. It didn't look new, but it looked well taken care of. Curiosity getting the better of her she said, "That outfit."

"I made that myself actually. I know it sounds weird, but I was hoping that you would sign it," Mimose said blushing.

"You made that yourself?" Maizono asked. For a girl as young as Mimose to make something like that and have it look so professional was impressive.

"Maizono-senpai, I did you see my interview last week?" Mimose asked.

"I did," Maizono said.

"Well, there's much more to the story if you'd like to hear it," Mimose said.

Maizono just nodded, not really sure what else to do, the situation she found herself in was just so surreal.

"Like I had said, I think all girls want to be idols at some point, but in my case..." Mimose trailed off.

"In your case?" Maizono asked, urging her to continue.

"I'm the youngest in my family by far. I have a much older brother, and a much older sister. So naturally, I grew up wearing out-of-style hand-me-downs. I never really had anything fancy. So, whenever I saw idol singers on the other side of my TV screen, I'd marvel over their pretty outfits. You know, the sort of thing any kid would do. At first. I wanted to sparkle too. I wanted to wear pretty clothes. So, I started learning to sew, hoping to make my own. I scrimped and saved for fabric and learned to use my kaa-san's sewing machine. But no matter how hard I tried to imitate the clothes I saw on TV, I could never capture that same sparkle. I kept wondering why mine were so wrong. But it was around that time that my sister got tickets to see my favorite idol live in concert. And when I saw her perform in person, that's when I finally understood. It wasn't the clothes that made her sparkle, it was the fans. We cheered for her, and she supported us right back. Those smiling faces were what made all the difference. I thought to myself, yes this is it! This is the sparkle I'm looking for! And from that day on, I devoted myself to becoming a great idol, just like her! That's my greatest hope and dream! My tou-san was against it, though, so convince him, I studied late into the night, every, every, every single day! And finally, after a whole lot of hard work and persistence, I was finally walking the path to becoming a real idol."

 _I decided that's what I wanted to be someday. I wanted to give that kind of encouragement to others,_ Maizono's own words to Naegi echoed in her head as Mimose finished her story. _She's a lot like me,_ Maizono thought.

"Maizono-senpai, I've never told anyone outside of my family this, but it was you who made me want to become an idol. To me, you're everything an idol should be. That's why I begged my manager for this chance to talk to you. They pulled some strings to get me back here. So that I could thank you for everything that you've done for me," Mimose said sincerely.

Maizono knew that every word Mimose spoke was the absolute truth, she was an esper, after all. It was then that Maizono heard Naegi's voice repeating words he had said to her when she had given him the autographed picture for Komaru, _Maizono-san, it might not mean much coming from me, but I don't believe that anyone will get tired of you. And even if you and your friends go your separate ways as stars, from what you described your bonds aren't so fragile that those wonderful days will ever really end. They'll continue because you are like family; because just as that idol from your childhood inspired you, you've done so to countless others, your fans and the next generation of idols alike, so you shouldn't worry._ That was when Maizono had made a decision.

 _I can't do it anymore. I won't do it anymore. Not to Riyu-chan. Not to anyone else,_ Maizono thought with conviction. She then looked at Mimose and asked, "Riyu-chan, would you like to perform a song with us?"

Mimose felt as though she would faint from happiness, but kept her composure and answered enthusiastically, "Yes! Yes! That would be a dream come true."

"Let's go tell the other girls," Maizono responded as she led the way back to the dressing room. When she entered all eyes were on her and Mimose. Her group members were confused, while Oumi, who had returned in her absence, looked at her as though she had lost her mind.

"Girls, I'm sure you've heard of Mimose Riyu-chan, she's going to be performing with us," Maizono said as if nothing were wrong.

"Are you sure Sayaka-chan?" Aoba asked.

"Are you insane Sayaka-chan?" Haneyam asked.

"I'm sure and I'm entirely sane. We became idols to give encouragement to others. If our juniors want to do the same then I don't see a problem with performing with them," Maizono explained.

Collecting herself, Oumi turned to Mimose and asked, "Mimose-san, could you wait outside for a minute?"

"Oh, of course," Mimose answered. As she turned to leave Maizono handed her the sheets with the song lyrics on it and said, "Here you go Riyu-chan. Do you think you could memorize that?"

Looking it over, Mimose nodded and said, "I won't let you down Maizono-senpai."

Once the door had closed, the Oumi turned to Maizono and asked, "Sayaka-chan, what is this about? What about everything we've done to keep this group on top?"

"I can't do it anymore. An idol isn't supposed to crush people's dreams, they're supposed to encourage people to follow their dreams. I'm not the only one who feels this way right girls?" Maizono asked.

Three heads nodded while Haneyam said, "If Sayaka-chan says so, I guess I have to go along with it." Despite her tone, it was clear that she was relieved.

"Don't misunderstand ma'am, I think all of us are grateful for all that you've done for us. But we didn't become idols to crush people's dreams. If we really are the idol group that everyone admires then we need to act like it. We wouldn't do this to people in our everyday life and we shouldn't do it just because we're afraid of a little competition. We'll stay on top the right way from now on," Maizono said with conviction.

"I don't know about this, but we'll discuss this more after the show," Oumi said.

* * *

 _Later_

The performance was about to start. They had practiced one final time with Mimose, who had pick up the routine in an amazingly short amount of time and they were ready. Before they started, Maizono announced, "We ran into a special guest before the show and she agreed to help hippity-hop straight into your hearts tonight. You may have heard of her, the up-and-coming junior idol, Mimose Riyu-chan!"

Those in the audience and at home couldn't help but erupt into applause at that announcement. One group in particular was very happy with this development.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

Naegi and some of the girls had promised Maizono that they would watch the show tonight. Some were more enthusiastic about it than the others, but whether it was to support their friend or to listen to her new song they still watched.

When Maizono had introduced Mimose, Mioda was ecstatic, Ikusaba smiled, Naegi felt proud, and Enoshima s happy.

Mioda was ecstatic, but that was her default reaction to just about everything.

Ikusaba smiled because to her this proved that Naegi had managed to outmaneuver her sister with Maizono.

Naegi was proud because it seemed that with this, Maizono had overcome her fears of being forgotten or replaced.

Enoshima looked happy but that was just a mask, inside she was furious. The Maizono who had seemed lost all week would have fallen into despair easily. She was already feeling guilty about how she had ruined so many other idols, she just needed that final push. Ruining Mimose Riyu's career would have been perfect. Destroying the dream of a young girl who admired her, what could have been better than that? Enoshima didn't know how but she knew Naegi was involved somehow. _How did he do this? She should have been too far gone. Even that cliched, "She's just like me" bit shouldn't have worked. Mimose couldn't have been the first to feel that way. Whatever Naegi said to her last week must have stuck with her. That hopeful little shit, how does he do it? This should have been a win for me._

* * *

 _I hope you're listening, Naegi-kun,_ Maizono thought as the music started.

" _Don't decide where to meet tomorrow."_

" _Would you mind if I called you?"_

" _Pounding as I hear it ring, until I finally hear your voice."_

" _Whisper something soft in my ear."_

" _The love of Monochrome is wrapped in two people."_

" _Can you feel the temperature rising?"_

" _Can you feel the love between you and I?"_

" _Monochome View is just as colorful, but the only shade I see is you."_

" _It looks like a Monochrome Two way."_

" _Is this really happening? Can you see me?"_

" _If a Monochrome dream is with you it's a rainbow color."_

" _That's a clear feeling."_

" _Black and white in a monochrome world."_

" _Your vivid color flows through my veins."_

" _I'll run to you."_

" _It looks like a Monochrome Two way."_

" _Is this really happening? Can you see me?"_

" _If a Monochrome dream is with you it's a rainbow color."_

" _That's a clear feeling."_

" _Black and white in a monochrome world."_

" _Your vivid color flows through my veins."_

" _That's a clear feeling."_

" _You and I can be a spark."_

" _If you merge it with a monochrome distance, it is colorful."_

" _Don't decide where to meet tomorrow."_

" _Would you mind if I called you?"_

" _Be clear. Just give me an answer."_

As Maizono sang and danced she was thinking, trying to get another message across, one not contained within the song. _Are you watching Naegi-kun? Are you listening? On this song_ _and on the feelings held within it, I make this pledge. I will change. I will be the idol that everyone admires. I will become the person you believe me to be. And I will be someone worthy of your love. Because you believe in me. I didn't realize it before I got the chance to talk to you, but I was trapped. Trapped because I had lost my way and did not think that I could change. Just like that crane in junior high, you showed me the way out. Riyu-chan may be the reason that I took the first step, but I think I needed you to lead me back to the correct path. Thank you! Thank you so much!_

* * *

 _After the show_

The show was over and Mimose had left, but not before thanking Maizono and the others for the opportunity to perform with them. After they had said their good-byes the Oumi approached them.

"Girls, I've been with you since the beginning. I think this is the best performance that I've seen you girls give yet," she said. Turning to Maizono, she said, "Sayaka-chan, I've never seen you shine as brightly as you have tonight. There have been glimpses of it since you've entered Hope's Peak Academy, but tonight it was there for all the world to see. I don't know if it's the school, one of your classmates, or for all I know it was that boy I heard talking to you." Maizono blushed at that last part. "What I do know is that that something in you changed. I think I realized it the minute you told me we weren't leaking information about other idols anymore. So fine, if it means more performances like this, we'll stop. It's one less thing for me to do anyway," Oumi said.

The girls' faces lit up at that, even Haneyam's. There was still one thing that Maizono needed to discuss with Oumi.

"Ma'am, about Riyu-chan-," she started.

"I'll destroy this when I get home," Oumi said, holding up a manila envelope. "Don't worry, Riyu-chan is still so new there was hardly anything. Mostly rumors that amount to little more than junior high gossip. Her agency could easily deny them if they think Riyu-chan is a good investment, so she'll be fine."

Maizono felt immensely relieved after hearing that.

"We're going to have to work that much harder from now on, but for now you girls deserve some rest. I'll be in touch when I have your next appearance scheduled," Oumi said.

"Yes ma'am," the girls responded.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Later That Night_

Maizono returned a little before lights out, so she hadn't expected to find anyone still in the dorm's common area. She was surprised to see that Naegi had waited up for her.

Her surprise must have been rather apparent because Naegi said, "I wanted to congratulate you on your performance. I think that was your best yet."

"My manager said something similar," Maizono responded. Dreading what she was about to do next, but believing she needed to do it to change, Maizono started with a question, "Naegi-kun do you remember last week after watching Riyu-chan's interview?"

"Yes," Naegi said.

"Remember when you said that you were worried that I was going to sabotage Riyu-chan's career? Well, I was thinking about it, in fact my manager had said that she would find something my group could use to do it. I've done it to so many other idols just so I could stay on top," Maizono confessed.

"What changed your mind?" Naegi asked.

"Between talking to you and meeting Riyu-chan face-to-face I realized that I couldn't do it anymore. I don't think I've ever really wanted to do it, but I still did. I'm sorry Naegi-kun, you've been thinking I'm a good person but I'm just not the person you think I am," Maizono said sadly. She knew just how big of a risk she was taking with her friendship with Naegi. She realized that he may want nothing to do with her after this, or that anything beyond friendship would be impossible for her after this. Hopefully Naegi could forgive her one day, after she became a good person.

"Maizono-san, you are the good person I believed you were," Naegi said.

"How can you say that?" Maizono asked.

"I'm sure it was hard for you, to sabotage or ruin the careers or potential careers of other idols just to stay on top. I think that the fact that you felt bad about it, that you wanted to stop and did stop means that you were and are a good person. I know that it may not make sense but that's what I think," Naegi explained.

"Naegi-kun," Maizono said, tearing up. _Why was I worried? This is who he is,_ Maizono thought.

"Performing with Riyu-chan was your first step towards change right?" Naegi asked.

Maizono didn't trust her voice just yet so she just nodded.

"Then it's fine. Well, not fine, you have done wrong and I don't know if there will come a time when you don't feel guilty, but if you've resolved to change then you should keep looking forward," Naegi said.

"Naegi-kun. Thank you," Maizono said quietly.

"You're welcome Maizono-san," Naegi responded. As soon as he finished speaking he got up and stretched and said, "I think I'm going to bed, good night Maizono-san."

"Good night Naegi-kun, I'll be up shortly," Maizono said.

After Naegi left the room Maizono heard him speaking with someone.

"Ikusaba-san what are you still doing up?" Maizono heard Naegi ask.

"I wanted something to drink." It was a lie, Maizono could tell, but she knew Naegi would just accept that. Maizono had a feeling that Ikusaba wanted to talk about Naegi. Steeling herself for a confrontation with the soldier Maizono sat perfectly still and waited. When Ikusaba walked past her into the kitchen, Maizono felt relieved, but slightly confused, her intuition was almost always spot on. It wasn't until Ikusaba called out, "I'll be back in a second Maizono-san," that Maizono realized she'd been right.

Ikusaba soon returned with two glasses of juice and set them down before taking a seat right across from Maizono and spoke. "He saved you too, didn't he?" It was in the form of a question but Maizono knew that Ikusaba didn't really need an answer.

She responded anyway, "Yes, he did." Her curiosity getting the better of her she asked, "How did he save you?"

"I may tell you someday, but not now," Ikusaba responded.

"I guess that's fair," Maizono said, although she really did want to know.

"Maizono-san, do you know why we're having a conversation right now?" Ikusaba asked.

"You aren't going to threaten me to stay away from Naegi-kun are you?" Maizono asked back.

"Two weeks ago I might have, but not now. That said, I'm not just going to let you have him either," Ikusaba told the idol.

"Thankfully, his placement in our dorm gives me time. He thinks he can't pursue a romantic relationship and as an idol I can't have a boyfriend. I won't be forbidden from dating forever though, I'll mature into a full-fledged star soon. Of course, I assume we'll both be vying for his attention until he can date," Maizono said.

"Absolutely, graduation isn't that far away after all," Ikusaba said.

"Well then, En Garde," Maizono said as she raised her glass. Ikusaba raised hers in response and with a 'clink' the two girls had declared themselves rivals for Naegi Makoto.

* * *

 _Present_

 _I was worried about being Ikusaba-san's rival, now I wish I could go back to being just Ikusaba-san's rival,_ Maizono thought as she finished reminiscing. It wasn't easy having to worry about most of her female classmates, the female half of Class 77-B, and Yukizome-sensei taking Naegi before she got her chance. _Naegi-kun, you may be the only person in the world who makes me regret being an idol,_ she thought jokingly. She knew that if she weren't an idol she would not be as close to Naegi as she is now. She smiled at that thought.

Naegi and Mioda both noticed this and Naegi said, "You seem happy Maizono-san."

"I am, I'm just remembering how you helped me through some rough times at the beginning of the year," Maizono told him.

"Makoto-chan has helped Ibuki through hard times too. Makoto-chan became Ibuki's best friend almost as soon as he arrived at Hope's Peak," Mioda said. _Ibuki always thought she just wanted a platonic relationship with true bandmates. She never really planned on falling in love. Now, she never wants to let go of this feeling,_ the peppy musician thought.

 _It's true, Mioda-senpai didn't have it easy either. I'm glad I was able to help though, a sad Mioda Ibuki-senpai just doesn't seem right,_ Naegi thought as he remembered how he had come to know the Ultimate Musician.

* * *

 **And done. That took longer than I thought it would. Do me a favor: next time I write in one of these notes that I think a chapter will be easy, remind me of this and the previous chapter. I will be grateful for it. I mean I probably could have these out sooner but after work on the weekdays I can't bring myself to type. Is that weird?**

 **Questions from me aside, I like this chapter, even if I think it is a little too similar to the last chapter but that may just be me. I constantly found myself wishing Sayaka had been fleshed out a lot more as a character in the first game, but it is what it is. Although, and I know I'm beating a long dead horse here, even if the developers got sick of looking at her and Leon would it have killed them to give them six free time events (and let's not forget Mukuro. She deserved more love too). I mean Teruteru and the Imposter died first in SDR2 and they got six. And I'd believe that the developers got sick of looking at them more if Sonia didn't look like a blonde Sayaka and Souda didn't remind me so much of Leon when I first saw him. Sorry, I know I complain a lot, I never mean to going in, it just turns out that way. Back to the end of chapter notes.**

 **Ah Leon, it's not that Naegi has something that you don't, it's that he doesn't say things like "Her face is okay, but she's got a smokin' hot body. I gotta get me some of that!" Joking aside, was that good as a first glimpse of the jealousy that will inevitably be aimed Makoto's way? I thought so, but still not much has happened and not much time has passed, so more will be on the way.**

 **I wish I could claim credit for the character of Riyu but she comes from the game Akiba's Beat and is owned by Acquire, which I own about as much as I own Danganronpa, which is to say not at all. The character Kanami Oumi is just a character whose name I came up with by using the names of two fictional idols Kanami from Persona 4: Dancing All Night and Megumi Oumi from Zatch Bell. Man, I really showed my age with that reference, didn't I?**

 **I hope the research I managed to do on idols made for a better chapter: the things they go on to do after their time as idols is at an end; their demanding schedules; the image that they try to project; the taboo on dating; the things that they are required to do.**

 **I tried to keep Sayaka's "not so pleasant things" tame, I think the cast of SDR2 and UDG have the really dark back stories and I wanted to keep it that way. This unfortunately goes back to Sayaka not having been fleshed out enough and me using my best guess on what those "not so pleasant things" were. I mean some can point to that photo book in Side Despair as an example, but that's kind of expected of idols if what I managed to find was correct, gravure photos are apparently expected of them. Which is weird: they can pose in skimpy outfits but holding hands and kissing a boy is apparently what shatters the pure image they need to project; how does that work?**

 **Back to what is important. The Ibuki chapter is next.**

 **As for vote tallies. From the reviews and PM's:**

 **Keep the original order (Akane, Aoi, Mahiru, Sonia)-3**

 **Sonia-3**

 **Akane-2**

 **Aoi-1**

 **Mahiru-1**

 **Keep voting guys. Read, review, and vote.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Musician

* * *

 **Hello again oh readers, mine and welcome back to "Everyday Life with Ultimate Girls." I'm your host, er, writer wesst1.**

 **Wow, can I just say that I am grateful for all of the feedback I am getting from all of you. I was a little worried about writing again after being gone for so long, but you guys made it all worth it. I hope you'll all continue to support the story as much in the future as you do now.**

 **I have been asked, only twice but still, if there will be any lemons in this story and I feel like that deserves an answer. Well, the truth is I don't know. Given the situation I've put Makoto I don't think it would fit, not that some of the more daring girls won't try or at least think about it. Sex might be out, but this type of story demands awkward situations, once all the world building and such is done of course, we still have flashbacks to go through. I hope you'll all bear with me on that. That having been said, I do plan to do epilogue chapters, you know what-if futures, where he ends up with one girl or another, for each girl, I might even do a harem ending if you guys want it and I feel daring enough, but that's a long way off. If there are to be lemons it will be in those chapters.**

 **Now on to what you all clicked on this for.**

 **Here it is the Ibuki Mioda chapter. I hope you'll all enjoy it. I must admit it gave me trouble, but I think it turned out okay. I hope I got her speech pattern right.**

 **How will our little Ultimate Hope go from Ibuki's straight man to the object of her affection? Read and find out.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

At Mioda's declaration of Naegi being her best friend, Maizono smiled although if one looked closely they could see her eye twitch. At the beginning of the year, such a statement would not have bothered her, Mioda Ibuki had said that she had no interest in a romantic relationship. Maizono knew that that had changed, and it was because of Naegi.

"Oh, you two hit it off right away then?" Maizono asked.

If Naegi had to describe Maizono's tone, he would call it "scary calm." Whether she was oblivious to this or simply ignoring it, and Naegi was convinced it was the latter, Mioda responded.

"Yep, yep, yep! Ibuki and Makoto-chan have had a special bond ever since she gave him a tour of the school," Mioda said happily, as she remembered all the time she spent with Naegi. _Makoto-chan became Ibuki's friend right away, then he made her fall in love with him. Ibuki always knew her destined one would be special, but she never expected this,_ Mioda thought happily.

 _Special bond? Yeah, I guess we have. Mioda-senpai has let me see sides of her that she has never shown anyone else. I certainly didn't expect that when I bumped into on our second day,_ Naegi thought, as he unknowingly joined Mioda in her trip down memory lane.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Class 77-B's Classroom_

 _First Day of Classes (Second Day of School)-Midday_

"I think that's enough for today," Yukizome said to her class.

To say the students were shocked would be an understatement. This was the woman who had hunted them down on her first day as their teacher and made them attend class.

"Sensei, the day is only half over…I think," the class representative, Nanami Chiaki said.

"I'm well aware of that Nanami-san. I am also aware that your kōhais' classes are ending early," Yukizome stated.

Most of the students caught on to what Yukizome was getting at, although some did not. "Alright! Old man, I want a rematch!" clearly, Owari fell into that second group.

"Actually, I was thinking that this would be an excellent opportunity to get to know some of your kōhai by showing them around the school," Yukizome suggested.

"Is this an order Sensei?" the Imposter, Twogami, asked.

"More like a suggestion," Yukizome answered.

 _Just don't forget who's making it, right?_ some of the more cynical members of her class thought. Still most where happy with this turn of events, one student in particular was ecstatic.

"Awesome! Ibuki will show them the music room and then Ibuki can have them listen to her new song!" Mioda cheered.

Her classmates felt bad for whoever met up with Mioda but stayed silent. They were fond of Mioda, it was difficult not to be really, but she could be, and usually was, exhausting. That, and Mioda Ibuki's music was something of an acquired taste and sadly, few people ever acquired it.

"Well like I said, it is just a suggestion. If your kōhai don't want a tour or want to explore on their own then don't force them," Yukizome said. Seeing that her students understood, Yukizome said, "Dismissed!"

* * *

 _Elsewhere_

Naegi's homeroom teacher had ended classes early and had suggested that the students take the time to familiarize themselves with the school. Naegi had certainly appreciated that, he had wanted to explore the school before orientation, but given the sheer size of Hope's Peak Academy that would have been impossible. Not only was he grateful for the chance to explore the world's greatest school, but he was also grateful for the opportunity to think. Today had been light on lessons, it had been mostly introductions, but there was one thing that Naegi learned that he couldn't quite understand.

 _I thought Ishimaru-kun was going to explode when we were told that attendance wasn't mandatory. It doesn't bother me the way it bothers him, but I would think that a school like Hope's Peak would take attendance much more seriously. I mean this could be considered the Ultimate School, once we actually get to school work I'm sure we'll need to attend class to understand it. I get that some students are working on various projects, Fujisaki-kun is a good example of that, but he and the other students in his situation must have been balancing those projects with school work already. I feel like there's something I'm not getting._ Figuring that he would understand better the longer he was at Hope's Peak Naegi pushed decided it would be best to focus on exploring the school.

By this time Naegi had unknowingly wandered close to Class 77-B's classroom just as they were being dismissed. What happened next was something Naegi could only attribute to his luck: the door to the classroom had burst open and a pink, black, and blue blur crashed into him.

 _Ow, what happened?_ Naegi wondered. Once Naegi managed to get a good look at what hit him, he realized that it was Mioda Ibuki and asked, "Are you okay Senpai?"

"Makoto-chan? Yeah, Ibuki is alright. She didn't expect you to be there. Well played Makoto-chan," Mioda said.

"Well played?" Naegi asked as he got up and went to help Mioda. His tone made it clear that he had no idea what Mioda meant.

"Ibuki thought she would surprise one of her kōhai, but Makoto-chan surprised her first. It's 0-1 between us but Ibuki will catch up soon," Mioda declared, her tone told Naegi that she was serious. About what, he had no idea.

 _Surprised you? I think you may have that backwards Senpai,_ Naegi thought. It wasn't the first time that he had run into someone and he was sure it wouldn't be the last, but Mioda was acting like it was a game and Naegi was confused.

"Naegi-kun? What brings you here?" Yukizome asked. She and the rest of her students had come to the door when they heard the crash.

"Nothing in particular, Sensei. Since my class was dismissed early I decided to explore the school and just ended up here," Naegi answered.

"It's a lucky thing you did then. I'm sure one of my students would be more than happy to show you around," Yukizome said with a smile.

"Oh, oh, pick Ibuki! Ibuki will show Makoto-chan all the best places at Hope's Peak Academy!" Mioda exclaimed.

"Really! Thank you Mioda-senpai. Like I said, I was just wandering around and I was worried that I might get lost," Naegi said, relieved.

"One Mioda Ibuki Special Hope's Peak Tour for Makoto-chan! On your mark!" Mioda shouted as she got ready to take off.

"Wait, what?" Naegi asked, once again confused.

"Get set!" Mioda continued.

"Get ready to run little guy," Nidai said.

"Go!" Mioda finished as she shot off like a rocket.

"Senpai! Wait!" Naegi shouted as he ran after her, somehow able to keep up, if only barely.

* * *

An hour and a half and one lecture from Ishimaru about running in the halls later, Mioda and Naegi had finished the tour of the main building. It probably would have taken longer had Naegi had a tour guide interested in giving him a proper tour, but at least he had a general idea of the layout of the school. Naegi would have said something, but Mioda seemed so happy that he just couldn't bring himself to complain. He made a mental note to take a better, and more thorough, look around later, but for now he decided that it would be alright to just go along with whatever it was that Mioda was doing.

Mioda soon stopped in front of another building on campus and said, "Here we are Makoto-chan, the best place on campus is inside here: the old school building. And what is the best place on campus you may ask. Why the Music Room, course!"

Naegi who had managed to catch his breath said, "I guess it makes sense that the Ultimate Musician would want to show me the Music Room. Are you going to play something, Mioda-senpai?"

"Does Makoto-chan want to hear Ibuki's music?" Mioda asked. She was excited, none of her classmates, not even Saionji, the only one who seemed to enjoy Mioda's style of music, ever asked Mioda to play something.

"Sure, I'm actually curious about what kind of music the Ultimate Musician plays," Naegi admitted. That was true, while Naegi had researched his own classmates he did not do any research on his upperclassmen and therefore had no idea what to expect.

"Then let's go, go, go!" Mioda shouted as she grabbed Naegi by the hand and prepared to drag him to the Music Room.

"Before that though Senpai, could we finish the tour?" Naegi asked. He genuinely wanted to hear Mioda play, but he also wanted to learn more about the school.

"Right. Okay we'll upgrade the "Mioda Ibuki Special Hope's Peak Tour" to the "Mioda Ibuki Special Hope's Peak Tour/Private Concert Package!" Invite friends to take advantage of Ibuki's group rates," Mioda said.

"Lead on then Senpai," Naegi said as he smiled. He quickly got used to Mioda's randomness, although he wasn't sure if that was something to be proud of or if he should be terrified.

* * *

 _After the Tour_

Once the tour was over Mioda led Naegi to the Music Room. Even with the brief glimpses that Naegi got of the other various rooms in the old school building he could see just how well equipped those rooms were to suit the needs of the students and he was expecting the Music Room to be the same. He was not disappointed. Not only did the Music Room in the old building at Hope's Peak Academy look like a small concert venue, it came with everything a musician could ever need for practice and for live performances. From a plethora of instruments to state of the art sound equipment, the Music Room seemed fitting for a school like Hope's Peak.

"You weren't kidding Senpai, this place is great. All it needs is a place to sell t-shirts and I might forget I'm at Hope's Peak Academy," Naegi said.

"See, didn't Ibuki tell you? This place is G-R-E-A-T, great. Now what does Makoto-chan want Ibuki to play?" Mioda asked, barely able to contain her excitement. _Maybe Makoto-chan will understand Ibuki's music,_ she thought.

"Whatever you want Senpai, I'm sure I'll enjoy it," Naegi answered.

"Okay, Ibuki will play "I Squeezed Out The Baby But I Have No Idea Who The Father Is" just for Makoto-chan. Just give Ibuki a minute or two to warm up," Mioda said as she grabbed an electric guitar, checked her mic, and then made sure guitar was in tune. Once she was satisfied she screamed into the mic, "Hello Makoto-chan!" Then she started to play.

Now when Naegi had met Mioda, he noticed her appearance and thought that she was into heavy metal. It had turned out that he was right, so he was able to prepare himself for the volume of Mioda's music. Even though Naegi thought that the Music Room was too small for Mioda to play so loudly, he couldn't help but enjoy himself. Naegi could hear the passion in every note Mioda played and every word she sang. _This is the Ultimate Musician. She may be the greatest musician in the world, but more than that she's the one who loves music the most,_ Naegi thought.

Mioda's performance came to an end far too soon for Naegi's liking, but he knew that it had to eventually. He also knew that they both had other responsibilities, so it was probably just as well. Once the last note had died down, Naegi's applause was so loud that Mioda could have sworn he was clapping in front of the mic.

"Makoto-chan liked Ibuki's song?" Mioda asked. She had hoped that Naegi would enjoy her performance, but experience had told her not to expect too much.

"Absolutely, you were amazing Senpai," Naegi responded.

"What did you think of it?" Mioda asked as pride swelled in her chest. _Makoto-chan enjoyed Ibuki's music,_ she thought happily.

"Well I'm no expert on music Senpai, and while there where parts that were hard for me to follow I could feel your love and passion for music coming through. And I might be missing the point of your song, but to me it was like your song was saying 'I am an individual,'" Naegi answered honestly.

Mioda was so happy she thought she could cry, _Makoto-chan gets it. Makoto-chan gets Ibuki._ "Alright, how about an encore?" Mioda asked.

Naegi hated to disappoint her, but he said, "I'd love to hear more Senpai, but I should probably get back to the dorm and get started on dinner, I did agree to do it after all."

"Oh right," Mioda said, slightly disappointed, but she understood.

"Of course, I'll be happy to listen to your other songs when I have the chance Mioda-senpai," Naegi said.

That perked Mioda right up. "Alright, it's a promise between Ibuki and Makoto-chan!" she happily exclaimed as the two made their way out of the old school building.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy_

 _Second Day of Classes-Lunch Time_

Mioda's classmates had noticed that she had been in a good mood all day, more so than usual. When asked about it, she had said that she had had fun with Naegi the previous day. When Mioda had mentioned that Naegi had enjoyed the song had played her class was happy for her, although some members of Class 77-B wondered if there was something wrong with Naegi.

Mioda herself was excited to see her new friend again, so much so that when the lunch break started she had bolted from her classroom the very moment Yukizome dismissed them. For the first time in Class 77-B's history someone had beaten Owari and the Imposter to the cafeteria as Mioda searched for Naegi.

Naegi's only warning was a loud, excited, "Makoto-chan!" before the pink, black, and blue blur from yesterday tackled him.

As soon as his shock, and the pain from the impact with the floor, wore off, Naegi cheerfully said, "Hello Mioda-senpai."

Most of their respective classmates had made their way into the cafeteria at this point and most of them found the scene in front of them amusing. Had Mioda been paying attention however, she might have noticed the glares being shot her way courtesy of Ikusaba and Maizono.

Still not moving from her spot on top of Naegi, Mioda declared, "Ibuki is super excited for you to try come of Teruteru-chan's food. Ibuki means hellaaaaaa stoooked! And Makoto-chan will be thirty-one flavors of stoked for all of the deliciousness."

Naegi had been interested in trying food prepared by the Ultimate Cook, so he was kind of excited too.

"And when I'm excited, I get hungry-mungry!" Mioda shouted.

Realizing he was in for another Mioda Tangent, Naegi just smiled and decided to listen.

"I-I don't understand it myself... Why do I get hungry when I'm excited? Why do I get excited when I'm hungry?" Mioda asked herself out loud. Then she suddenly exclaimed, "Kyahaha, the human body sure is a mystery!"

Assuming Mioda had finished, Naegi asked, "Senpai can I get up?"

As if she had had forgotten the position the two of them were in, Mioda looked at Naegi and said, "Makoto-chan, you can't eat while flat on your back. Or can you? Ibuki has never tried it personally."

"I think it's bad for you, maybe we can ask Tsumiki-senpai later," Naegi suggested, still as polite as ever. _It's not like going along with Mioda-senpai's randomness is hurting me or anyone else, so why not?_ Naegi asked mentally.

"Right get food from Teruteru-chan and talk to Mikan-chan, Ibuki is all for it!" Mioda shouted as she leapt off of Naegi and pumped her fist in the air.

"Preferably in that order Senpai, it is lunch time after all," Naegi said as he got to his feet. Some pleasant aroma soon assaulted his nose from the kitchen and Naegi soon asked, "I wonder what's on the menu today?"

Recalling her first year, Mioda said, "As long as it is not nikujaga, Ibuki recommend whatever it is Teruteru-chan makes, Makoto-chan."

"Why not nikujaga?" Naegi asked innocently.

Every member of Class 77-B that heard that question screamed, "Don't ask!"

* * *

After they had finished eating what was not nikujaga, much to Class 77-B pleasure, both Mioda and Naegi spent the rest of their lunch break talking. Rather, Mioda did most of the talking, Naegi would respond when he believed it was appropriate, but he mostly just listened, not that he could make much sense of most of it. The break passed too soon for Mioda's liking, she really enjoyed Naegi's company.

As if he had read her thoughts, Naegi said, "I wish the break were longer."

"Ibuki does too," Mioda admitted.

"I'd have liked to have listened to another one of your songs today Senpai, but more than that, you're a lot of fun even if we just talked," Naegi said with a sincere smile.

 _It would be nice if Makoto-chan could spend more time with Ibuki,_ Mioda thought. As soon as she thought that, a lightbulb went off in her head. Once it did she jumped up and shouted, "Ah! Yes, yessss!"

Naegi, who had no idea what Mioda had been thinking simply asked, "What?"

With the most serious look Naegi had ever seen on her face, Mioda asked, "Um, um, were you ever in any school clubs?"

"Not really," Naegi said with a shrug of his shoulders. He then explained, "I thought about it, but none of the clubs really appealed to me back in junior high."

"Hyaaaaha! That's a major bingo!" Mioda happily exclaimed.

"Hmm, what is?" Naegi asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, isn't it obvious!? Makoto-chan should be part of Ibuki's music club from now on," Mioda stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"For a while, everyone thought music clubs were outdated because the rock-and-roll boom was dying off..." Mioda explained before she trailed of. To Naegi, the serious look Mioda was giving made him feel like he was listening to a lecture on the history of music clubs.

That feeling disappeared with Mioda's next sentence, "But now, music clubs are super popular with boys for some reason! We should jump on the bandwagon, too!"

"I'd be happy to join your club Senpai, but I don't know how to play any instrument," Naegi explained.

"Nooooo problem! Makoto-chan can just pretend he's playing an instrument while a music track plays in the background," Mioda said with a wink

 _I really don't think that's something the Ultimate Musician should say_ , Naegi thought. Still, the idea of learning to play a musical instrument seemed appealing, but Naegi needed Mioda to understand one important detail, "I don't know Senpai, I wouldn't mind learning, but when I say, 'I don't know how to play any instrument,' what I mean is, 'I've never even held a musical instrument.'"

That didn't deter Mioda, who with a sage look on her face said, "Everyone starts at that point. As long as you feel the love, there's no problem."

"'Feel the love?' Okay I guess I could give it a try," Naegi said. Although he was still a bit uncertain, he could tell that this meant a lot to Mioda, so he would do his best.

"There ya go! Jamming out is sooooo much fun! Makoto-chan will be so popular with the ladies! Chicks go out with guys who pretend to be musicians all the time!" Mioda shouted. Although her tone didn't change, Naegi noticed that she didn't look happy with the idea of someone using music to pick up girls. As much as Naegi hated himself for it, an image of Kuwata popped into his head.

"Now choose the musical instrument you wanna use," Mioda said excitedly. Suddenly, the serious look found its way back to Mioda's face as she shouted, "Ah, Ibuki has dibs on the guitar, so you can't use that!"

 _I'm pretty much a blank slate so I suppose there's really no wrong answer,_ Naegi thought. Not realizing that he had started to think out loud, Naegi asked himself, "I wonder if I'm coordinated enough for drums?"

Taking that as his answer, Mioda exclaimed, "That's awesome! All right, it's decided! Drums are great 'cause you can just hit 'em to the beat, and you don't even need to know how to read music! As long as you can move your arms and legs independently of each other, even a novice can play them real easy!"

 _I don't imagine many drummers would agree with that, Senpai,_ Naegi thought

"Now that we've decided on an instrument..." Mioda started.

"Yeah?" Naegi asked. He was actually starting to look forward to this.

"We'll start with learning how to use a loudspeaker!" Mioda shouted.

"Hold on a second! Why would you need a loudspeaker!?" asked the now confused luckster. He knew that Mioda would want to practice eventually, but why start with a loudspeaker?

"What are you saying? It's a must-have item for live performances," Mioda stated matter-of-factly.

"Well yeah, but…" Naegi started. He had thought that he was getting used to Mioda's randomness, he realized that he was wrong.

"It doesn't mean you just hold it and scream into it. If you don't put your soul into it, the loudspeaker won't respond to you," Mioda explained. Then, as if coaching him she started yelling, "Gyahaha! Put your soul into it! Shout! Shout!"

"Just name a time Senpai, I'll be happy to join you," Naegi said. He was hoping it would all make sense when he started. _I've been hoping a lot of things will make sense eventually recently,_ Naegi realized.

"Maybe Sunday at 9 in the Music Room? Yeah, Ibuki thinks that works," Mioda said.

"Okay, I'll be there. Should I do anything to prepare?" Naegi asked. While he was excited he still had some misgivings, he wasn't sure he was musically inclined. _I guess if Mioda-senpai is happy then I guess there is no harm in going along with it. Provided that she never has us work with pyrotechnics or anything else dangerous,_ Naegi thought.

"Ibuki is glad that Makoto-chan is getting into it," Mioda stated happily.

"Of course, Senpai. You're inviting me to be a part of something that means so much to you, so I'll do my best," Naegi said.

"Huh?" Mioda asked.

"Well, like I said I never really thought to learn to play an instrument before and I really don't know if I'll be any good, but since you asked me to join your music club I just couldn't say no," Naegi explained.

"Why is that, Makoto-chan?" Mioda asked. It wasn't often that people went along with her schemes, so when Naegi did Mioda decided that she wouldn't question it. Now, however, she couldn't help herself, she had to know why he seemed so gung ho.

"Well, I have to admit that the idea of learning to play an instrument is appealing but more than that, it's because you asked me to," Naegi told her.

"What does Makoto-chan mean?" Ibuki asked.

"We're friends right Senpai?" Naegi asked back.

"Yes," Mioda answered simply. Mioda didn't know what Naegi was getting at. By this time, her usual energy was gone, and she was unusually focused. Her classmates that were still in the cafeteria had been listening in had wondered how Naegi had managed to do that, and if he could show them how to do it.

"Well, if being in this club will make my friend happy, what more reason do I need?" Naegi asked with a smile.

Mioda didn't answer, the question had been rhetorical after all, but she did turn red and felt something in her chest.

Catching sight of a clock on the wall, Naegi said, "We should probably get back to class Senpai."

Calming herself down, Mioda said, "Y-yeah, Makoto-chan is right."

"Are you okay Senpai?" Naegi asked, oblivious to the effect he had on the older girl.

"Ibuki is a-okay Makoto-chan!" Mioda said as she got up. Fortunately, she managed to collect herself enough to get some of her usual pep back.

"Okay, I'm looking forward to our first club meeting. If anything changes, or if you want to hang out later, well, you know where I live," Naegi said jokingly before he headed back to his classroom.

"Sure thing, Makoto-chan," Mioda said as she did the same. On her way back to her classroom, Mioda tried to figure out just what it was that her kōhai had made her feel.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Music Room_

 _First Weekend-Sunday at 9 o'clock_

Mioda wasn't able to figure out what Naegi made her feel, so she put it out of her mind. She had other things to do after all, and it was something she had been looking forward to all week.

"Okie dokie! Let's start the club!" she shouted happily.

"Hai, Senpai!" Naegi responded, trying to match her enthusiasm. He had arrived early so that he could attempt to set up everything that he thought they would need. He had no idea how he did it, but somehow, he managed to set up the drum set properly. Naegi had wanted to do a sound check for the loudspeakers that Mioda had been so eager to practice with, but he figured that he should leave that to an expert.

"Um, today's training is...badum-badaum-badum-badum-tish!" Mioda started as she made a thinking pose. She soon pumped her fist in the air and happily exclaimed, "Racing! Aw yeah!"

"Wait, I thought you wanted to practice with the loudspeakers. Does racing have anything to do with music?" Naegi asked. He was confused, he had been prepared for Mioda's club activities to be unorthodox, but this still caught him off-guard.

"Hell to the yes!" Mioda shouted with glee. Then crossing her arms and adopting a serious look and tone, she explained, "If you wanna learn proper music theory, training yourself in the rhythm of racing is a must. Music has its own language too, y'know. It's always nice to hear music that adheres to the principles of music theory... And it's easier to make people feel the beat as well."

"Wow, that's deep Senpai," Naegi said, impressed.

"...But Ibuki doesn't care about that at all though!" Mioda added.

 _Okay, maybe not,_ Naegi thought.

"Come on! LET'S GO!" Mioda shouted as she took off.

"W-wait, Senpai!" Naegi shouted as he ran after Mioda as fast as he could.

* * *

Five laps around the Hope's Peak campus later and Naegi's chest felt like it was on fire. Naegi didn't think he was in terrible shape, but he didn't think track star was in his future either. As he tried to catch his breath, he looked over at Mioda who was completely fine.

"Man, that was really fun, Makoto-chan!" Mioda shouted.

"If you *huff* say so *puff* Senpai. How *huff* are you *puff* so *wheeze* energetic?" Naegi managed to ask.

"What are you saying? There's no way you could go through a live performance if you get winded by something like this," Mioda said as if the answer should be obvious.

 _I guess that makes sense,_ Naegi thought. He then asked, "Senpai, do you usually train like this all the time?"

"Ibuki don't do it for training. Running is her hobby," Mioda said in all seriousness.

 _Wait, what about proper music theory? No, wait, she said she didn't care about that,_ Naegi thought.

"Ibuki also likes playing one-person tag and one-person hide and seek too! It's a lot of fun! Have you ever found an eight-leafed clover by the riverbank? It's seriously sooooo hard, Ibuki definitely can't find one at all," Mioda said, going off on one of her tangents.

 _I would ask Obara Shigeo-san about that Senpai. He did find a 56-leafed clover after all,_ Naegi thought.

Oblivious to Naegi's thoughts, Mioda continued, "Also, it's fun to play a game called, 'Will I Get There?' It's super thrilling! Ibuki forgets lots of stuff really fast, so she tries to write memos for important things."

Figuring that it would be best to just listen to Mioda, Naegi nodded and did his best to focus.

"But on days Ibuki plays that game, she goes outside without thinking about anything. And when she does that... Surprise, surprise! No matter how long she's out, she can't get back home! Ibuki just thinks of fun stuff all the time, and after she's taken a bunch of shortcuts and detours... She usually ends somewhere she's never been before," Mioda said.

Unable to keep himself from commenting, Naegi said, "That sounds kind of dangerous." Naegi was hoping against hope that nothing bad had happened to Mioda when that happened.

Ignoring Naegi's comment, Mioda continued, "One time, Ibuki nearly walked onto a fishing boat and almost ended up in a foreign country."

 _Should have known. Well, if she's here then I guess nothing too bad happened to her,_ Naegi thought.

"Ah, but sometimes Ibuki likes to spend time relaxing, too. The other day, she woke up in the morning with a powerful hankering to look at the stars. So, she just waited all day till the stars came out!" Mioda gleefully exclaimed.

At this point, all Naegi could do was nod.

"Also, also...!" Mioda started.

Naegi just stood there and listened with a smile on his face. Like he had said earlier in the week, if this made Mioda happy that was good enough for him. Though, something Mioda had said earlier had stuck with him so the next opportunity he got he asked, "Mioda-senpai, when you say you play one-person tag and one-person hide and seek…?

"Everyone is usually too busy to play with Ibuki. She understands that everyone has their own things to do but…" Mioda never finished her explanation because at that moment, Naegi had poked her on the nose.

The only thing Naegi had said was, "Tag, you're it!" as he ran as fast as he could away from Mioda.

A smile much different from her usual one had made its way onto Mioda's face before she shouted, "No fair, Makoto-chan! Ibuki wasn't ready!" and chased after her kōhai, no, more than her kōhai, her friend.

* * *

Their game of tag had ended a while ago and Naegi was putting away the drum set that he hadn't gotten to practice on. _Maybe next time_ , he figured. While he was thinking of next time, he turned to Mioda and asked, "When is the next club meeting, Senpai?"

Mioda thought about it for a while and finally said, "Let's not worry about that, Makoto-chan."

"Huh?"

The only explanation Mioda gave was, "Improv isn't just limited to the blues, jazz, and jazz fusion. It has been a big part of music since Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and Liszt."

"You mean the club meeting will be whenever?" Naegi asked, somehow managing to get Mioda's point. _Given how spontaneous Mioda-senpai is, I guess that makes sense. Well, it's not really a problem since it's just the two of us,_ Naegi figured.

"Right, right, right!" Mioda happily exclaimed.

"I suppose that works. Even with my responsibilities at the dorm and my assignments, I do have a decent amount of free time," Naegi said. As he finished putting the drums away he said, "You know Senpai, I may not have learned anything about playing the drums, but I had a lot of fun with you today. I'm really glad you invited me to join your music club."

Mioda felt that feeling in her chest again as a smile made its way onto her face before quietly saying, "Ibuki is glad too."

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy_

 _Second Week of Classes-Monday_

Lunch had arrived for the day and Mioda was looking forward to seeing Naegi. In almost no time at all, the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78 had become her best friend. As soon as her class was dismissed for lunch she ran as fast as she could to the cafeteria to meet him, but on her way there she soon ran into another student of Class 78.

"Oh, Mioda-senpai! Heeey!" a voice called out.

Immediately stopping, Mioda turned and greeted the voice's owner, "Heeeeyyy! That's me! Mi-o-da I-bu-ki!" As it turned out, the voice belonged to Kuwata Leon. Mioda recognized him from descriptions from the girls of Class 78 and her own male classmates

"Hehe...I wanted to talk with you at least once!" Leon exclaimed, looking rather pleased.

"Ooh? And what business does Kuwata Leon, the Ultimate Baseball Star, have with me?" Mioda asked, her curiosity apparent.

"Forget about baseball! I'm gonna explode onto the stage as a musician!" Kuwata shouted.

Slightly intrigued, Mioda asked, "Huh? Leon-chan, you know how to play an instrument?"

"Nah. I'm gonna be vocals," Kuwata said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Still curious, but for a different reason, Mioda asked, "Hmmm...then how about writing lyrics and composing?"

"Not really. I'm gonna have one of my other members do that pain in the ass stuff," Kuwata admitted.

"W-Wow...so does that mean that Leon-chan already has band members ready to go on stage with him?" Mioda asked in shock due to both Kuwata's lazy attitude and at the possibility that he could have band members with said attitude.

"That's what I'm recruiting people for right now! So..Mioda-senpai, you wanna join my band?" Kuwata asked nonchalantly, or from Mioda's perspective, shamelessly.

"Huh?"

"You're guitar, right? Well, I don't have any instruments yet, so anything's fine," Kuwata explained. He went on to say, "Me and the former star Mioda Ibuki... The both of us will get a lot of attention from our debut! And our fans probably won't overlap, so I'll let it slide if you stand out a little!"

"Hu...huhuhuhuhu... Haaa..." Those noises sounded like a mix of Mioda's desire to laugh and her best effort not to. Then she simply said, "Ahhh...Ibuki doesn't even have a face for this. She's never felt this un-pumped up...Not bad, Leon-chan! Not bad!"

Whether he was in denial of how badly this had gone, or he simply hadn't been paying attention Mioda didn't know, but Kuwata then asked, "Then you're gonna be the guitarist for my band, right!?"

"Nooope! Not even if Leon-chan paid Ibuki a million, a billion, or a gajillion yen!" Mioda shouted. She looked like this conversation had become painful for her. Although, part of her was impressed, she didn't think anything could bring her down like this, but it had happened. Kuwata looked discouraged but he wasn't ready to give up just yet. However, before he could attempt to persuade Mioda further, the Ultimate Musician saw salvation in the form of her favorite kōhai.

Deciding to go for it, Mioda yelled, "Makoto-chan!" to alert Naegi to her presence.

Turning towards the voice of his senpai, Naegi raise a hand in greeting before shouting, "Mioda-senpai! Kuwata-kun!"

Running over to Naegi, Mioda said, "Sorry Leon-chan, Makoto-chan and Ibuki need to discuss club business."

"We do?" Naegi asked.

"We do. Makoto-chan is gonna be Ibuki's new drummer after all," Mioda said hurriedly.

Attempting to salvage his "bright" future as a musician, Kuwata started to say, "Well maybe I could-,"

"Makoto-chan and Ibuki are gonna go play now, let's pick up this conversation again never Leon-chan," Mioda said as she grabbed Naegi and ran.

Mioda had said the last part so quickly that Kuwata couldn't tell what she had said. He did however hear the word "play" and it didn't sound like she meant music. This led Kuwata to ask, "Wait 'play'? What kind of club activities are those two up to?"

* * *

Once Mioda thought that they were a safe distance away, she stopped, turned to Naegi, and asked, "So Makoto-chan, what do you wanna play today?"

"Well there are a few songs I'd like to learn to play, but I don't know if I've practiced enough," Naegi admitted.

"No, no, no! What do you want to play… Wait, Makoto-chan has been practicing the drums by himself?" Mioda asked.

"Whenever I get a chance. Playing with you is great Mioda-senpai, but I want you to know that I am serious about the music club too," Naegi explained.

"But Makoto-chan, playing is a big part of music clubs! Do you know what's the most important thing about playing music in a band?" Mioda asked.

"Well if you're playing in a group then I guess you would need a sense of unity," Naegi said, not really sure if that was the answer Mioda wanted.

"Ding ding ding! You got it right, Makoto-chan!" she exclaimed happily. Mioda then adopted a serious look before continuing, "Yep, that's correct. It's all about that! The band members performing as a singular unit on stage... That is the ideal live concert! That's where the greatest music is made!"

Naegi was nodding in agreement, everything Mioda had said had made sense.

It didn't last long though. "In order to do that, it's particularly important to eat cake with everyone after school!" Mioda exclaimed happily.

 _I'd be all for that right now,_ Naegi thought. Cake sounded good, but that was probably because it was lunchtime.

"Sooooo your training today is for Makoto-chan to roll his eyes to the back of his head!" Mioda shouted. She soon demonstrated what she meant. Naegi was a little unsettled when she started foaming at the mouth.

"I'm not sure I'm able to do that Senpai," Naegi said, trying his best to be diplomatic. He really wasn't sure he could do it, but he also wasn't in a hurry to try.

Ignoring what Naegi had said, Mioda excitedly exclaimed, "Also, Makoto-chan will need to learn how to break guitars, and how to splatter pig guts! Those are the three basics!"

"I don't think I'm comfortable with that last one Senpai." Naegi told her. In truth, he didn't really want to break guitars either, but he was very much opposed to the idea of splattering pig guts.

"Oh my-my-my-my, are you gonna give up before you even do it? Ibuki has a reward for Makoto-chan, y'know," Mioda told him. She then said, "If he's able to withstand the training, Ibuki'll make his stage costume!"

"You know how to sew Senpai?" Naegi asked, a little surprised.

"Of course! Sewing is a minor necessity when you're in a band!", Mioda exclaimed proudly.

Naegi had seen Mioda in her current outfit a few times, but this was the first time he had taken a good look at it. He soon said, "Now that you mention it Senpai, all of your clothes look really unique. You must put your heart into making your clothes so they're not just another commercial product. It's very you Senpai."

"What do you mean, Makoto-chan?" Mioda asked.

"They say, 'I am Mioda Ibuki and I am an individual'" Naegi answered.

A soft smile appeared on Mioda's face as she said, "Ibuki was right about you Makoto-chan, you do get it."

A smile that matched Mioda's soon made its way onto Naegi's face. The moment was soon interrupted when both of their stomachs let out loud growls simultaneously. With an embarrassed blush on his face, Naegi said, "Looks like our stomachs get each other too Senpai. We should probably go get lunch before we need to get back to class."

Mioda just laughed and said, "Ibuki thinks Makoto-chan is right. Maybe Teruteru-chan will have made cake! Ibuki isn't sure why, but she really wants cake."

All Naegi could do in response to that was laugh.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Music Room_

 _Third Week of Classes-Thursday_

Classes had ended for the day and Naegi had met up with Mioda in the Music Room in the old building. As much as Naegi had enjoyed spending time with Mioda, he didn't think he would be good company today, as Maizono Sayaka had been on his mind for the past few days. Maizono had been out of sorts all week and having no idea how to help her, Naegi was worried. She refused to even admit that something was wrong and continued to go through the motions of daily life as a high school girl. At this point, Naegi could only hope that it didn't affect her performance as an idol.

 _I hope Maizono-san can get through her show Saturday night. I just don't get it, she seemed fine after I talked to her the night of Mimose-san's interview. Maybe she's still worried about her future. I certainly hope it wasn't anything I said to her. I should figure out a way to get her to open up about whatever is wrong,_ Naegi thought.

Mioda had noticed that something was wrong with Maizono too. Mioda wanted to help the young idol, of course, but since Maizono had a show to prepare for, Mioda hardly saw the younger girl. When Maizono wasn't in class she was rehearsing with her group and did not return until it was almost lights out. Lunch hardly offered enough time to make any sort of progress, and so Mioda had decided to wait until after the younger girl's performance to try and confront her.

Mioda had also noticed that whatever was bothering Maizono, it was affecting Naegi. It was clear to everyone that he was worried about his friend, but for reasons Mioda didn't understand, she was jealous. She had grown so accustomed to Naegi's undivided attention whenever the two of them were together that it bothered her that he was thinking about someone else, another girl no less. Mioda was by no means a selfish girl and she hated that she was jealous when something was bothering Naegi and Maizono. She couldn't figure out why it bothered her that Naegi was thinking about another girl, after all Maizono was his classmate and she was upset, but the fact remained that it did bother her. That was part of the reason she decided to have club meeting today. She wanted to take Naegi's mind off of the problem, but she also wanted him to herself.

With that thought in mind, Mioda adopted a thinking pose and asked, "Now then, what should Makoto-chan and Ibuki play today?"

"I don't know if I'll be much fun today Senpai, I've got too much on my mind," Naegi said. He felt bad that he would be disappointing Mioda but couldn't lie to her either.

"Ibuki has decided! Today we're gonna do 1000 practice head swings!" Mioda exclaimed. _This always helps Ibuki when she has a lot on her mind,_ Mioda thought.

"You mean headbanging?" Naegi asked. He still had reservations, but he figured Mioda was going somewhere with this.

"Ibuki will start us off!" as soon as she said that, Mioda started swinging her head back and forth with amazing speed.

"GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" Mioda shouted. Whether that was supposed to be something he could understand or if it was a noise Mioda made when she was excited, Naegi didn't know, but he was too focused on Mioda's speed.

 _She's so fast that her head is a blur. I can't believe her tiny neck can keep up with that,_ Naegi thought, impressed.

"You do it too, Makoto-chaaaaaan! It's fuuuuuuuun! GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" Mioda said without stopping.

Naegi wasn't sure, but he trusted his friend, so he started headbanging too.

 _M-My head is ringing. Make it stop,_ he thought.

Mioda's condition wasn't much better as the only sounds that came out of her mouth were, "Da boom na da mmm dum na ema..."

When his head finally stopped ringing Naegi noticed something. _I feel like all the stress from this week has been lifted off my shoulders,_ Naegi thought.

"Oh my, Makoto-chan. You look pretty refreshed. I feel like we were playing pretty well together just now," Mioda said.

"Yeah, I do feel refreshed Mioda-senpai. Thanks for putting up with me," Naegi said. He wasn't sure he'd have been as patient with himself as Mioda had been.

As if she had an epiphany, Mioda then said, "Ibuki just realized it. When she's with Makoto-chan…Ibuki plays really well."

"And we haven't even eaten cake after school yet," Naegi laughed. After he stopped, he said, "I really do appreciate you putting up with me Senpai. I've been worried about Maizono, I keep wondering if it's my fault that she's been so out of it this week."

"O-oh really," Mioda said as she forced a smile. _Makoto-chan, Ibuki is worried about Sayaka-chan too, but pay attention to Ibuki now,_ she thought.

Naegi didn't notice and kept talking. "I can't think of what I might have said. Maybe I didn't do anything, and work is just getting to her. She's said that she enjoys being an idol but she's also afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Mioda asked, her jealousy momentarily forgotten.

"Well, I don't know if I should say anything, but maybe you can help. Senpai, you saw how she was after watching Mimose-san's interview, right?" Naegi asked.

"Ibuki remembers," Mioda said simply. It wasn't easy to forget and not just because it was recent. Maizono looked as though she had gone completely numb after that interview segment was over, Mioda had been one of the first to comment on it.

"Well last week Maizono had told me she was worried about being forgotten or that her group would go their separate ways, maybe she's afraid Mimose-san will be the reason," Naegi finished. The more he thought about it, the more likely that conclusion seemed. As Naegi had told Mioda, he couldn't think of anything he had said that would cause Maizono any distress.

"Well, Ibuki has never been an idol, but she would imagine that the destiny of an idol group is the same as that of a band," Mioda said, not sounding too worried.

"The destiny of a band?" Naegi asked, not entirely sure what Mioda was getting at. _One thing is for sure though, I don't think telling Maizono-san that will make her feel better,_ he thought.

"Sit down Makoto-chan and Ibuki will tell you a tale," Mioda started dramatically.

Naegi did as he was told. In truth, he was looking forward to hearing more about Mioda. He had realized that even though he had been spending all this time with her, he knew very little about Mioda's past.

"Before Ibuki attended Hope's Peak Academy, she went to an all-girls school called Shiba Academy. There, she joined a light music club named 'Black Cherry'. We had a rival named 'Summer Tree', they were a boy band. Ibuki wrote the songs we performed, and our hit single was called 'After School Poyoyon Hour,'" Mioda said.

 _I think I remember hearing that song somewhere before,_ Naegi thought, but soon returned his focus to Mioda.

"When a talent scout was going to be watching one of our performances, Ibuki refused to play more traditionally appealing pop music, as she was much more into the heavy metal genre," Mioda continued.

"So, you split with your band due to creative differences?" Naegi asked, even though he pretty much knew the answer.

"Hmmm, how should I put it? Creative differences...? Personality differences...? Well, it's not that big of a deal. That's the destiny of a band member after all!" Mioda said.

To Naegi, it sounded like she wasn't too sure how to explain it. Even though Mioda hadn't told him anything that might be able to help Maizono, he was glad that his senpai trusted him enough to tell him all of this.

"Like Ibuki said earlier, what's most important is a sense of unity. Technique is something you gain just by practice. But you won't know if the group really meshes well together until you try it once... And if it's no good, that's something you can't really help. That's why Ibuki doesn't really regret leaving the band." Mioda said with a serious look on her face.

Naegi nodded, what Mioda said made sense. _I know that's what Mioda-senpai has been trying to tell me, but it wasn't until just now that I realized just how important that connection between band members is. I guess that's why Maizono is so worried about losing it and why Mioda-senpai is able to discuss it so casually,_ he thought.

"But being alone...is a teensy bit lonely," Mioda soon admitted.

"As long as we're friends Senpai, I won't let you feel lonely," Naegi told her.

A blush erupted on Mioda's face as Naegi's words caught her off guard. Once she got her blush under control and was back to her peppy, happy self, Mioda then shouted, "Theeeeen I shall keep playing with Makoto-chan today!"

"Yeah!" Naegi shouted as he pumped his fists. It was out of character, he knew, but he was more than happy to play along for Mioda's sake. _I may not be able to help Maizono with whatever is bothering her, but I can at least keep Mioda-senpai from feeling lonely,_ he thought.

"Let's continue our headbanging. This time it's for the championship! Whoever loses has to steal food from Akane-chan or kick Nekomaru-chan in the shins!" Mioda shouted. Naegi swore he had yet to see her look so serious about anything else.

 _Either way, losing is a death sentence,_ Naegi thought. He didn't know for sure that Nidai would kill him, but Naegi knew that the most dangerous thing, or at least one of the most dangerous things, to do at Hope's Peak Academy was to come between Owari and food. With that thought in mind, and the desire to prolong his life by however much he could, Naegi decided to ask a question, "Hey Senpai?"

"What's up Makoto-chan? Do you want Ibuki to give you a handicap?" Mioda asked.

"That would be appreciated Senpai, but I wanted to ask something else," Naegi told her.

"What is it?" Mioda asked, her curiosity clearly piqued.

"I know you said that you don't regret leaving your old band, but would you ever consider playing with them again?" Naegi asked. Naegi may have asked this question to stall for time, but he was genuinely curious about the answer.

Mioda adopted a thinking pose before she said, "Ibuki has thought about this before. She knew she was being stubborn back then, but she won't play a different type of music just to be popular."

"I understand Senpai, you can't feel the love if you don't love the genre," Naegi agreed.

"Exactly Makoto-chan. So, while Ibuki has thought that she wouldn't mind playing with Black Cherry again, she doesn't feel a need to either. Although, sometimes Ibuki does wonder if she made the right decision," Mioda admitted.

"I think you did Mioda-senpai. After all, you're the one who became the Ultimate Musician, not one of the other girls," Naegi reminded her.

"Wow, now Ibuki feels bad for the other girls. Careful Makoto-chan, you hit below the belt again and Ibuki will have to give you a penalty," Mioda joked.

"Okay, okay, I'm already at a disadvantage going up against a pro," Naegi said with a laugh.

A soft giggle escaped Mioda's lips. Something about Naegi brought out this side of Mioda, one that was different from her usual loud, energetic self. She was still random, but she was calmer. Mioda actually kind of liked it. Almost as much as she liked that feeling in her chest that she got whenever Naegi was focused on or would praise her. _What is it you do to Ibuki, Makoto-chan?_ Mioda asked internally.

As the two started headbanging, with Naegi praying that those stakes were just a joke, neither of them noticed was a strawberry blonde pigtail poking out from behind a corner. A devious smile was on Enoshima Junko's face as she pulled out her phone and started typing something.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fourth Week of Classes-Sunday_

It was the morning after Maizono's televised performance and Naegi and the girls were happy to see that she was back to normal, although some thought she seemed happier than usual. Of course, Mioda was happy too: happy that the younger girl had apparently resolved whatever issues she had been having; and happy that Naegi would no longer be distracted the next time they played.

Breakfast had proceeded the same as any other day, or it did until Enoshima spoke up.

"Mioda-senpai, do you know that you're trending on Trigger?" she asked.

That question put Ikusaba on guard. Enoshima wouldn't bring something like this up if she didn't have a plan of some kind.

"Ibuki is trending? She can't imagine why, she barely uses Trigger," Mioda said.

"Well to be more accurate the idea of a Black Cherry Reunion Concert is trending," Enoshima said. Seeing everyone's confused looks, she showed everyone her phone. In a post, Enoshima had typed: Just listened 2 "After School Poyoyon Hour." Am dorm mates with the writer and Ult. Musician Mioda Ibuki. Wish I could hear it live at least once. #blackcherryreunion.

There was a follow-up: Mioda-senpai is still writing songs. Am sure those are great too. If only Black Cherry would play them live. #blackcherryreunion

It looked like all of Enoshima's followers liked and re-fired both her original shot and the follow-up and the responses ranged from simple agreement to demands for a reunion concert.

"Ibuki feels bad that she'll have to disappoint everyone, but she hasn't seen her old bandmates in a long time," Mioda said as she shrugged her shoulders. _Ibuki would love to perform in front of a live audience again though,_ she thought.

Just then, Yukizome's phone rang. "Yes, this is Yukizome Chisa," she said.

"…" The person on the other end was clearly speaking, but no one but Yukizome could hear what they were saying.

"Yes, she's here."

"…"

"Hold on," Yukizome said as she turned to Mioda. She then said, "Mioda-san, it seems like there are people for you at the front gate. They said to tell you that 'Yamamoto Rin and the girls want to talk to you.'"

"Rin-chan and the girls! Ibuki's old bandmates have come to see her!" Mioda shouted. Contrary to what she had said when she and Naegi were discussing the subject, she seemed pretty excited at the thought of seeing her old band again.

"Should we let them know you're coming?" Yukizome asked, both for her and the security guard on the other end of the phone.

"Ibuki isn't sure," Mioda said. She wasn't sure what to tell her old bandmates. Even if they wanted to, they didn't have the means set up a reunion concert.

"You should go, Senpai. I'll even go with you," Enoshima offered.

"Junko-chan?" Mioda asked, still not sure.

"It's my fault this started, If you do decide to do a reunion concert I know people that can help set everything up," Enoshima explained.

"Okay! Ibuki and Junko-chan will be right out!" Mioda exclaimed. She still wasn't sure what she would say to her old band. She couldn't even be sure that they had come to discuss a reunion concert, but Mioda figured it would be nice to see them again.

"She says she'll be there right away," Yukizome told the guard.

"…" _*click*_

"Let's go Junko-chan!" Mioda said as she jumped to her feet and ran over to grab Enoshima's wrist.

"Let's," Enoshima said with a smile as she got up and she and Mioda left.

Something about that smile made Naegi uneasy. He wanted to ask Ikusaba about it, but he wasn't sure if he was just worrying too much.

"I didn't know those two were close," Maizono said.

"They aren't, we've lived together for almost a month and I think this is the first time my sister has said anything to Mioda-senpai," Ikusaba explained.

That was all Naegi needed to hear. He turned to Ikusaba and asked, "Ikusaba-san can I speak with you? Alone?"

"The kitchen?" Ikusaba asked.

"Yes," Naegi said as he got up. Ikusaba soon joined him and the two walked into the kitchen. Thankfully, everything went back to normal at the table. It seemed that even some of the more distrustful girls decided that Naegi wasn't going to attempt anything: maybe it was how serious he seemed or maybe it was because Ikusaba was the Ultimate Soldier, Naegi didn't know and right now it hardly mattered. All that mattered right now was the answer to this question, "Ikusaba-san should I be worried about this?"

"Junko-chan wouldn't have done this if she didn't know that it would end badly for Mioda-senpai," Ikusaba told him.

"What should we do?" Naegi asked. Then he said, "I'm sorry Ikusaba-san, being suspicious of Enoshima-san makes me feel like I'm breaking my promise."

"Don't be and you're not, you said you wouldn't act differently around Junko-chan and you really aren't. When she does something that raises red flags I fully expect you to notice," Ikusaba said. She then smiled and said, "As for what 'we' should do, you just work your magic when the time comes."

Naegi, having no idea what she meant by that just let out a confused, "Huh?"

* * *

Mioda was happily chatting away as she and Enoshima made their way to the front gate: about her old band; about how she wanted them to meet her new friends and classmates; and sometimes something completely random. Mioda would not have noticed but anyone else looking would have seen Enoshima's head bow and her shoulders slump, clear signs of boredom, until Mioda turned her way. Then she perked up and smiled like she was actually interested in what Mioda was saying.

"Ibuki doesn't regret leaving her old band, but she has wanted to make up with the girls for a while," Mioda explained as she turned to look at Enoshima.

"I'm sure that you'll get your chance Senpai," a smiling Enoshima responded. As soon as Mioda turned, Enoshima slumped again.

"Do you think that the girls will like Ibuki's new friends, Junko-chan? Does Junko-chan think that they will like Makoto-chan?" Mioda asked.

Perking up again, Enoshima replied, "I'm sure they would."

"I wonder if the girls have been practicing their headbanging? Do you practice headbanging Junko-chan?"

"Never really had a reason to." Wanting Mioda to stop talking, Enoshima tried to see if she could spot Mioda's former band. Thankfully by this time Mioda and Enoshima were close to the front gate and as soon as Enoshima pointed the other girls out, Mioda took off running.

"Rin-chan! Hikari-chan! Mebuki-chan! Chinatsu-chan!" Mioda shouted as she approached the group of girls.

"Oh, hey Mioda-san!" A tall girl with black hair and green eyes greeted. This was Yamamoto Rin, the keyboardist from Black Cherry.

"Look at you. You made it to Hope's Peak Academy. I'm impressed," a girl of about Mioda's height with pale skin, red hair, and hazel eyes said. This girl was the drummer, Takamine Hikari.

"Guess we should have listened to her when we were all together, eh Natsu?" another girl asked as she looked at the last girl. The girl asking the question was about as tall as Naegi, had dark skin, bleach blonde hair, and was wearing colored contacts that made her eyes blue, a ganguro gal. She was Kazama Mebuki, the bassist.

"It certainly was fun. Playing together, I mean," the last girl said. She was a little shorter than the others; had strawberry blonde hair; and brown eyes. Her name was Kanzuki Chinatsu, the former rhythm guitarist, and current lead guitar.

"Ibuki agrees, it was fun. We just wanted to go in different directions," Mioda said as she nodded.

"Well, that's kind of why we're here," Yamamoto started.

"When we mentioned that were in Black Cherry with you the shots just pouring in," Takamine added.

"Yeah, sorry. When I fired that shot I didn't really expect it to catch on the way it did," Enoshima lied as she spoke up.

"I'm impressed that our single caught the attention of the Enoshima Junko," Kazama said.

"Did you really think it was that good?" Kanzuki asked.

"It was like nothing I had ever heard before. I just wanted my followers on Trigger to listen to it too. Like I said, I didn't really expect to reunite a band," Enoshima answered. This was a lie too, but none of the other girls could tell.

"Wait a minute, pause, Ibuki never said she was reuniting with her old band," Mioda said.

Tensions had been high when Mioda had split from Black Cherry. The other girls had been desperate to make a name for themselves when they knew that a talent scout would have been listening. It had been years and Mioda hadn't forgotten how angry the others had been when she said she would not play more traditional pop music just to be popular. Even when the others tried to say that once they were famous they could switch to whatever genre Mioda wanted, Mioda stood firm. Mioda was not opposed to becoming famous, but she didn't want to sell out to do it.

"Mioda-san, we did come to ask if you would play with us again, but we also came to apologize. It seems that you were right. You stuck by your principles and now people want to hear your music," Yamamoto said.

"Ibuki accepts your apology, but she doesn't know. Isn't this another way of selling out?" Mioda asked.

"Mioda this is your chance. You wanted to play the kind of music you wanted, and now people are demanding it," Kazama said.

"Mioda-san when you left we started to wonder what would have happened if we had listened to you. Now we have a chance to find out," Takamine added.

"It would be fun to play together again," Kanzuki said.

"Do you girls really want to play with Ibuki again?" Mioda asked.

She received four nods in response.

"Ibuki is happy to hear that but…" Mioda trailed off.

"If you want to schedule a show I can make it happen as soon as you want," Enoshima said.

"Enoshima Junko is going to book us a gig? That's pretty cool," Kanzuki said.

"Let's see if we can still play together, then we'll let you know," Takamine said. The others looked expectantly at Mioda after that.

"Ibuki isn't sure, are Hope's Peak facilities even available to the public?" Mioda asked.

"Both the Headmaster and security like to know about visits from the public ahead of time from the student receiving the guests. Although if it is for the purpose of developing your talent exceptions may be made. If you want, I can call and check," the security guard, the one who had phoned Yukizome earlier, said.

"Would you?" Enoshima asked, a little too sweetly.

While the guard called the Headmaster, the members of Black Cherry were already making plans. Mioda had still had mixed feelings, but she knew she'd come to a decision if she could play a song with her former band.

"Well it's all settled, you can go on in," the security guard said.

"What's all settled?" a new voice asked.

"Makoto-chan, what are you doing here?" Mioda asked, although she was happy to see him.

"I wanted to be sure everyone was getting along alright," Naegi said. It wasn't a lie, Naegi knew that Mioda left her old band, although her wasn't sure if they were on bad terms. The one he really wanted to keep an eye on was Enoshima, he had no idea what she was trying to accomplish and that worried him. Ikusaba had made it sound like Enoshima was planning something cruel and he would do whatever he could to make sure Mioda was alright.

"We're fine Naegi-kun, why wouldn't we be?" Enoshima asked sweetly.

 _That's what I came to find out,_ Naegi thought.

"Girls, this is Ibuki's new best friend, Naegi Makoto-chan," Mioda said as she ran over to Naegi and introduced him. Turning to her old bandmates, she introduced them each in turn, "Makoto-chan this is Rin-chan, Hikari-chan, Mebuki-chan, and Chinatsu-chan!"

"Hi, as Mioda-senpai just said I'm Naegi Makoto, I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78 and I'm a member of Mioda-senpai's music club," Naegi said.

After they had all greeted him, Enoshima said, "Mioda-senpai and the other girls were just about to see if they could still play together like they used to."

"Makoto-chan should come and listen! Oh, we should see if Hiyoko-chan will want to hear this too!" Mioda exclaimed.

"Okay, Enoshima-san and I will go ask her while you get set up in the Music Room," Naegi said, wanting to keep a close eye on Enoshima.

"Sounds like a plan. Girls follow Ibuki!" Mioda said as she ran off towards the old school building.

* * *

 _40 Minutes Later_

Saionji had come along to listen to Mioda and Black Cherry and Naegi could tell that she was enjoying herself, no matter how hard she tried to pretend otherwise. She wasn't the only one, Naegi thought that Black Cherry sounded amazing, like they had never stopped playing together. As for Enoshima, after the performance she made some calls.

The band seemed happy, Mioda certainly was, but she was always happy when she could perform. The other girls seemed genuinely happy too.

"We've still got it," Yamamoto said.

"That makes it sound like we're coming out of retirement," Kazama responded.

"Having Mioda-san as lead guitar and vocalist again is kind of refreshing," Kanzuki added.

"If we do go on stage together again we should do great," Takamine said.

"Well I've got good news on that front, after making some calls I managed to get you booked at a nearby club, Black Box, on Saturday. You're the opening act," Enoshima said.

"This Saturday? Can they be ready by then?" Naegi asked. He had faith in Mioda, but that was not a lot of time to prepare.

"Ibuki and the girls will be fine, we have 'After School Poyoyon Hour' down, we just need to practice the other two songs," Mioda said optimistically.

"So you'll come back?" Kanzuki asked hopefully.

"Ibuki's hands are kind of tied now that Junko-chan made those calls. She did have a lot of fun though, so she figures why not?" Mioda explained. Despite her words, Naegi could tell she was looking forward to this, maybe even more than the other girls.

"We can also throw in a few covers, but we'll be fine," Yamamoto said.

"Yeah, but we really do need to practice though, would you three mind leaving us to that?" Takamine asked.

Saionji huffed and said, "You've got a lot of nerve for a guest. Oh well, come on Servant."

Naegi, having learned to just play along with Saionji, just said, "Okay then." He turned to Mioda and said, "Good luck Senpai."

Before Naegi got to the door Mioda asked, "Makoto-chan, you'll be there Saturday right?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Senpai," Naegi answered.

That put a smile on Mioda's face and made her more motivated than ever.

Saionji, feeling left out, yelled, "What about me?"

Enoshima said, "I'll get you two in if that's what you want. I'll also spread the word on Trigger, I want this to be a night you never forget Senpai." With that she left.

Naegi thought that sounded rather ominous, but he had faith that Mioda would be fine. _What am I worried about? Mioda-senpai is great, she'll be fine. Ikusaba said I was right to worry but maybe I'm worried about nothing,_ Naegi thought as he left the Music Room.

* * *

 _Club Black Box_

 _Fourth Week of Classes-Saturday Evening_

 _This is it, the night Ibuki and the girls have been practicing for all week,_ Mioda thought as she tried to psych herself up. She was a little nervous which was unusual for her, but Black Cherry hadn't even had a whole week to practice. "After School Poyoyon Hour" and the cover songs were no problem, these were songs they were very familiar with. She did notice something was off when they practiced "From Me To You Too" and "I Squeezed Out The Baby But I Have No Idea Who The Father Is." Every time they practiced those songs Mioda would notice a grimace on at least one of the girls. The songs sounded fine when they played though, and Mioda figured that they would warm up to those songs come show time.

"We're on in five," Takamine said.

"Wow, the club is packed," Kanzuki noted as she peeked through the curtain.

"This is it girls," Kazama said.

 _I sure hope Makoto-chan is here for this,_ Mioda thought. No matter how well the show went Mioda knew it would only be perfect if Naegi were present for it.

"…" Yamamoto didn't really say anything, she seemed the most nervous about their upcoming performance. Mioda thought that there was something else, but she couldn't quite place it.

"It's showtime girls," a member of the club staff told them.

"And now tonight's opening act, Black Cherry!" a voice announced as the curtain rose.

"Hello Black Box!" Mioda screamed into the microphone.

Once Black Cherry started playing things seemed to be going well, the audience seemed to enjoy "After School Poyoyon Hour." Things were still going well when Mioda announced that they would be playing "I Squeezed Out The Baby But I Have No Idea Who The Father Is."

When they started playing it however, that was when it all ended. They barely made it thirty seconds in before the audience started to complain.

"Boo!"

"This sucks!"

"What is this crap!

"Get them off the stage!"

The curtain came down and the manager, a woman in her thirties, approached them. "It seems that it was a mistake to book you girls. Get your things and leave this establishment," she said with a cold look in her eyes before she left.

"Ibuki doesn't understand what happened, we sounded great," Mioda said.

"I knew this was a mistake," Yamamoto said.

"Rin-chan?" Mioda questioned.

"Why did we think that performing with you again was a good idea?" Yamamoto asked angrily.

"This should have been our chance, our second chance, to make it big since you ruined the first one!" Takamine shouted.

"What you girls wanted to play wasn't our music Hikari-chan! What we played tonight was…" Mioda said attempting to defend herself.

"We thought you being the Ultimate Musician would make up for your awful songs!" Kazama screamed.

Mioda felt like she had been punched in the stomach. Her old band was just using her, she had to admit she had feared that might have been the case, but she didn't want to believe it. "But, but I-," Mioda started, the words catching in her throat.

"Your style is too wild," Kanzuki added more quietly but just as angrily.

"Everything about her is too wild. Remember how she tried to turn our band into her own personal circus act?" Yamamoto asked.

Mioda couldn't take it anymore, she ran out of the club as fast as her legs could carry her. She could hear the voices of her former band mates and the jeers of the audience.

"Us splitting with her was the best thing we ever did."

"Ultimate Musician? More like Ultimate Has Been."

"Try Ultimate One Hit Wonder."

"Maybe Ultimate Never Was, heh heh."

As soon as she got outside her legs gave out and she curled herself into a ball and tried her hardest not to cry.

"Mioda-senpai, are you alright?" a worried voice asked. Mioda had never been unhappy to see Naegi, but right now she wished that he hadn't come tonight.

"Oh, h-hey Makoto-chan," Mioda said. After looking around she asked, "Where's Hiyoko-chan?"

"Backstage probably, when we came to see you after the curtain dropped we saw you run out. I went after you and I think Saionji-senpai wanted to 'talk' to the other girls," Naegi said. Both he and Saionji had heard what the other girls had said. Naegi couldn't remember feeling that angry at anyone in a long time and if the look on Saionji's face was anything to go by, she felt the same.

"O-oh, she doesn't have to do that," Mioda choked out.

She tried to keep her voice even, but Naegi knew she had taken what had happened pretty hard. He wasn't sure about what he was about to do, he had gotten odd looks when he took a bouquet of roses into the club and when he and Saionji forced their way backstage, and he wasn't sure how Mioda would feel about receiving it now, but he knew she needed some support. Holding out the bouquet, he said, "I know roses are usually given after a theatre performance, but I didn't know what else to get you. If you still want them, of course."

"Why do you have those, Makoto-chan?" Mioda croaked out. Holding it together was clearly getting harder for the poor girl.

Not wanting to upset the girl anymore but realizing that she needed to let her feelings out, Naegi said, "I got them because I wanted congratulate you on a great show. I for one loved your music as much as I always have."

That did it. The tears came and Mioda couldn't do anything to stop them. Pulling her into a hug, Naegi tried to soothe her as best he could. He couldn't blame her really, he knew just how much she was looking forward to this show and for her to get booed off the stage, for her old band to talk to her like that… Naegi couldn't imagine how she felt right now.

"It's okay Senpai. I know you had a bad night, but everything will be okay," Naegi said in a soothing tone.

When she was calm enough to speak, Mioda managed to choke out, "Makoto-chan, I worked so hard for this. I didn't reach anyone else tonight."

 _She's not speaking in the third person, this is bad!_ Naegi thought.

"If I can't reach people with my music then I guess I have no business being a musician. You and Hiyoko-chan have been great but it's only just you two. No one else cares," Mioda said in between sobs.

Having heard enough, Naegi shouted, "You've got that wrong!"

That shocked Mioda enough for her to stop crying momentarily, but it didn't really make things better. "What did I get wrong? Do you and Hiyoko-chan hate my music too?" Mioda asked cynically.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it!" Naegi shouted.

"Makoto-chan?" Mioda asked, as she cried harder. Naegi felt terrible, but Mioda needed to hear this.

"Musicians have bad nights, not every performance can be a winner. If a musician never has a bad performance, then they aren't really performing. As the Ultimate Musician, you may have more bad nights than any other musician out there. I believe in you though, Mioda Ibuki-senpai is someone who can bounce back from anything. Maybe this audience didn't get your music, but there are people who will, Saionji-senpai and I are proof of that!" Naegi continued.

"I-I need time to think Makoto-chan," Mioda said, her eyes downcast and her usual energy nowhere to be found.

"Okay, I'll go get Saionji-senpai and we'll head back to campus," Naegi said.

They both soon heard, "Alright, I'm leaving. Get your hands off me! This club sucks anyway. Not a single person in there would know good music if it bit them in the a-,"

"Saionji-senpai!" Naegi called out with a wave.

"Servant! Ibuki-nee!" Saionji responded as she ran over as well as she could in a kimono.

"I think we better head back," Naegi said as he helped Mioda to her feet.

"Yeah fine, this club sucks anyway," Saionji said as she joined them and helped lead Mioda back to Hope's Peak. Thankfully it wasn't very far.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fifth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Mioda had not gotten any better on the way back. She thanked Naegi for the roses before dropping them in the trash. "These were supposed to be for a musician, you shouldn't have wasted your money," she had said when she saw the shocked look on Naegi's face. Mioda had not gotten any better as the week went on. She had not attended class, she hadn't even left her room. Naegi had explained what had happened to Yukizome, so she did not force Mioda to attend class, but she was worried, everyone at the dorm was. Or at least all but one was worried, but that one gave a very convincing performance of a concerned friend.

Naegi had done his best to console Mioda. He and some of the girls had spent as much time with her as they could, attempting to cheer her up, not that it seemed to do much good. Mioda was grateful that she had friends who cared so much, but she couldn't get past what happened at the Black Box.

Naegi had just gotten back to the dorm that day with Yukizome in tow. There was something that he had been working on that he had hoped would help Mioda feel better and Mioda's homeroom teacher was more than happy to help him do it.

"I really appreciate what you're doing Sensei, I just hope this gets through to Mioda-senpai," Naegi said.

"I'm more than happy to help Naegi-kun. It's for one of my students after all," Yukizome responded.

"Well whatever the reason is, between helping me with this and letting us into her room, you've been an invaluable ally," Naegi said.

"You think we'll be ready soon?" Yukizome asked, worry clear in her voice. Mioda Ibuki's energy was infectious and Yukizome firmly believed her class benefited from it. If the mood in class this week had been anything to go by she was absolutely right.

Before Naegi could answer, another voice asked, "Uh, Naegi-kun? Yukizome-sensei?" It was Maizono and she looked worried.

"What's wrong Maizono-san?" Naegi asked, although he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

"Whatever you two have planned, could you do it soon? It hurts to see Mioda-senpai like this," Maizono said sadly.

"Has she gotten worse?" Yukizome asked.

In response, Maizono answered, "She's wants to throw out her guitar."

"Sensei, I don't think it matters if we're ready or not anymore. We should do this before Mioda-senpai does something she regrets," Naegi said, finally able to answer Yukizome's question.

"I agree," Yukizome said simply.

"Maizono-san, could you tell the girls to meet in the Music Room in the old building, in say an hour? And, I hope it's not necessary, but you may want to take Ikusaba-san with you when get Mioda-senpai," Naegi said.

"Sure," Maizono said. She was a little confused, but she trusted Naegi.

"Yukizome-sensei, could you tell the rest of you class to do the same and meet me in the Music Room ahead of them?" Naegi asked.

"Can do," Yukizome said with a nod.

"Naegi-kun, where are you going?" Maizono asked.

"I'm going to get everything set up. Oh, and make sure Mioda-senpai brings her guitar," Naegi said as he ran out of the dorm.

* * *

It was only a few minutes later and Maizono and Ikusaba were standing outside Mioda's dorm room with the master key Yukizome had given them. It had hardly taken any time to spread the word among the girls, so Maizono couldn't understand why Naegi needed an hour.

"Whatever Naegi has planned I hope it works," Maizono said as she put the key in the lock.

"You aren't doubting him, are you?" Ikusaba asked playfully.

"Of course not. I think it's really sweet of him that he's working so hard to cheer up Mioda-senpai," Maizono said.

"He's sweet like that," Ikusaba added.

"Think it will make things hard for us later?" Maizono asked.

"Yep," Ikusaba answered.

"Me too. But that hardly matters right now," Maizono said as she opened the door.

The lights were off, Mioda must have turned them off when Maizono left the room last. Mioda was there lying on her bed, curled up and holding a pillow as tightly as she could, just as she was when Maizono left. Her hair was down, and she hadn't changed out of her pajamas since she got home last week.

"I'm starting to think that Naegi-kun wanted that hour for us," Ikusaba whispered, this was the first time she had seen Mioda this week. She had taken it upon herself to keep Enoshima away from Mioda, a full-time job if there ever was one. She never realized how annoying her sister's gloating was until she came to Hope's Peak.

Maizono nodded and then turned to Mioda and asked, "Mioda-senpai, will you come with us?"

"I don't want to," Mioda answered.

"It's just to the Music Room. Naegi-kun has a surprise for you that he thinks will cheer you up," Maizono said.

"He doesn't need to waste his time."

"Senpai, come on get ready. Get dressed and grab your…where is your guitar?" Maizono asked.

"Where it belongs," Mioda said as she pointed at her guitar. It was sticking out of her small wastebasket.

This caused Maizono to shudder and caused Ikusaba to lose her patience. "I think I've heard enough," Ikusaba said as she went over to Mioda and picked her up. Mioda didn't even try to fight back.

"Ikusaba-san, what are you doing?" Maizono asked.

"I plan to bathe and dress her in time for whatever Naegi-kun has planned. You grab the guitar and her hairpins and whatever else she needs for her horns," Ikusaba said as she carried Mioda into her bathroom and shut the door.

* * *

"I'm sorry, I just can't get them right," Maizono said as she gave up trying to get Mioda's hair into its usual style.

"Just bring the hairpins and everything, she can style it herself if she's feeling better," Ikusaba said.

"Okay, now let's go Mioda-senpai," Maizono said as she got up and reached her hand out to Mioda.

In response, Mioda just fell back on her bed. She had let her body go limp.

Ikusaba sighed and said, "Fine, if she's going to be difficult then I'll just carry her to the Music Room too. Maizono-san grab her guitar." Ikusaba lifted the older girl over her shoulder and left the room. Maizono soon followed with the guitar and everything for Mioda's hair.

* * *

Class 77-B and the female half of Class 78 were gathered in the Music Room of the old school building. No one was sure what was going to happen, but that didn't stop them from guessing.

"Is Mioda-san going to play? Is she feeling better?" the Imposter asked.

"No, she's still really depressed. Plus, this was Naegi-kun's idea," Koizumi said.

"What is he going to do?" Asahina asked.

"I cannot say, but it would appear that it involves Yukizome-sensei as well," Ogami answered.

"Even with Sensei's help, I doubt a mere Lucky Student could do much good," Komaeda said.

"If I were you Senpai, I wouldn't insult Naegi-kun where I can hear," Ikusaba said as she, Maizono, and Mioda arrived.

"Yeah, if anyone can help Mioda-senpai, it will be Naegi-kun," Maizono agreed.

If Komaeda was going to respond, the lights going down cut him off. The curtain on stage rose and Naegi and Yukizome were set up with their instruments. Naegi with his drums and Yukizome with her guitar.

"Mioda-senpai, would you join us?" Naegi asked.

Mioda, who was still slung over Ikusaba's shoulder, did not answer. So Ikusaba carried her on stage with Maizono close behind. Maizono plugged Mioda's guitar into an amp and Ikusaba set Mioda down and helped her to her feet. When Maizono attempted to give Mioda her guitar, Mioda would not take it.

"Senpai, please, just a few songs. If you don't feel the love anymore we'll stop," Naegi begged.

Mioda just sighed and grabbed her guitar from Maizono. Maizono and Ikusaba then left the stage to join the others as Naegi grabbed his microphone.

"Hello Hope's Peak Academy!" Naegi practically screamed into the microphone. Those who knew him were a little shocked, as they knew how out of character this was for the young man.

Naegi continued, "Today we will be treating you to some of the most amazing songs, all of which have been written and performed by our very own Ultimate Musician, Mioda Ibuki!"

That got some applause, but Mioda believed that everyone was just being nice.

"Let's start things off with 'From Me To You Too.' One, two, three," Naegi said before he Yukizome started playing.

 _Makoto-chan wasn't lying when he said he had been practicing,_ Mioda thought as the music started. While he wasn't close to being a professional, he was doing pretty well. Both Naegi and Yukizome sounded pretty good in Mioda's opinion. What really caught Mioda's attention was Naegi's expression, he looked like he was having the time of his life.

Mioda remembered her own words, " _As long as you feel the love, there's no problem."_ Looking out at all of her friends in the audience she thought, _Makoto-chan got everyone together to listen to my songs. Even if my classmates and the girls don't love my songs the way Hiyoko-chan and Makoto-chan do, they came._ A soft smile made its way onto Mioda's face as she started to play like herself again.

The gathered students started cheering as Mioda started to play like herself. Naegi and Yukizome would have gladly joined them had they not been playing with her. As soon as the song ended the applause was deafening.

Enoshima was not taking this well. She was glad that the music and the audience were so loud when Mioda started to bounce back, she was sure everyone would have heard her grinding her teeth otherwise. This was the second time Naegi had brought someone back from the brink and it was getting old, the despair of failure could only satisfy her for so long after all.

When the small concert ended, Mioda askedm "When did Makoto-chan and Yukizome-sensei learn to play my songs?"

"I found the sheet music you and Black Cherry used to practice and thought that we could help you put on the show you wanted. I figured that your own music was the best way to reach you," Naegi explained. Naegi then said, "Senpai, I know what happened at the club and with your old band hurt you, but please don't give up. When I met you I realized that you, Mioda Ibuki, aren't the Ultimate Musician just because you're the greatest musician in the world, but also because you're the one who loves music the most. So, don't let anyone or anything make you forget your love of music because, and I know this may not make much sense, but music is always on your side. I am too if that helps."

"Makoto-chan," Mioda said, touched by the sweetness of Naegi's words and by how far he was willing to go for her.

While the Mioda everyone knew and loved seemed to have returned, Naegi had to make sure. "Mioda-senpai, are you feeling better? Are you still feeling the love?" Naegi asked.

Mioda just smiled and said, "Sayaka-chan could you bring Ibuki her hairpins, she's not herself without her horns." As Mioda styled her hair she thought, _Ibuki is feeling the love alright. For her music and for Makoto-chan. Would even a true band mate go as far as Makoto-chan goes for Ibuki? Ibuki doesn't know the answer to that, but she finally realizes what Makoto-chan is to her. He's more than just a band mate and friend. Wait a minute…_

"Ibuki is feeling the love again Makoto-chan! So much in fact that she has an idea for a new song already! She thinks she'll call it 'Cupid's Arrow is Made From the Wood of an Honest Sapling'!" Mioda exclaimed.

"I'm so glad. I can't wait to hear it," Naegi said happily. He thought it was odd that the meaning of his name was in the song title, but he didn't think much of it. Ikusaba and Maizono did catch the point Mioda was trying to get across and planned to talk to her later.

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _Ibuki didn't expect Sayaka-chan and Mukuro-chan to declare themselves her rivals after they helped her so much, but Ibuki doesn't mind. Makoto-chan is worth it after all,_ Mioda thought happily.

 _I'm glad I was able to help Mioda-senpai, I hope she never has to go through something like that again. Even if she does, I'll do what I can to help her through it,_ Naegi thought.

Wanted to get Naegi's attention, Maizono asked, "Hey you two had a music club, whatever happened to that?"

"Oh, Mioda-senpai called it off. She's been devoting a lot of her free time to writing songs since we had that concert to cheer her up," Naegi explained, sounding disappointed. He may have had to teach himself how to play the drums, but he had a lot of fun with Mioda. _Well, it's not like I don't get to see her anymore,_ Naegi thought, trying to look on the bright side.

"Ibuki found a great muse," Mioda added as she glanced at Naegi, something that didn't go unnoticed by Maizono.

"It must be the same as mine, because I've never written songs so quickly or performed so well before," Maizono said through gritted teeth.

"Girls," Naegi said, getting the girls' attention and unknowingly diffusing the situation, "I need to get going, I'll see you both later though."

"I'll hold you to that Naegi-kun," Maizono said.

"Ibuki will miss you when you're gone Makoto-chan," Mioda said dramatically.

"I'm not going that far, there's just something I need to take care of in the main building," Naegi assured the older girl. With that done, he resumed his walk to his original destination, but he didn't get that far before someone called out to him.

"Naegi-kun darling!" a voice filled with the utmost joy called.

"Sonia-senpai," Naegi said as he looked and saw the Ultimate Princess herself, Sonia Nevermind.

* * *

 **And scene, I mean chapter.**

 **As you've all noticed the girl with the most votes was Sonia Nevermind. I personally was pulling for Akane, but the people have spoken.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I know it started off a little slow and the problem Naegi helped with didn't seem to last too long. Ibuki isn't easy to write for, but that's just my opinion. Giving someone who seems so happy a problem that would make her fall for Naegi and getting everything where it needed to be this chapter gave me more trouble than I thought it would. Thankfully, our very own Putain de Plagieur was there when I needed advice.**

 **The inspiration for Ibuki having a bad show came from Rock Bottom on Youtube posted by tomatokind (redasatomato) (I don't know who illustrated that comic) and Remnants of Hope by jheyjette. Those two give a more satisfying reason for Ibuki's fall into despair that DR3 ever did.**

 **I honestly do believe that a combination of a bad show and her bandmates turning on her would cause Ibuki to fall into a deep depression if not despair. And I know that Makoto was out of character at times, but I don't know, I can see him going along with Ibuki, he has been translated as saying he is more gung-ho than most. Plus we all know he's the type to do anything for anyone. He'd probably humiliate himself if he thought it would cheer someone up. Hmm, I may use that.**

 **I'd really like your feedback though. What did you think of this chapter? Do I rely on the free time events too much? Was Junko too involved in this chapter? Should I take more time on these chapters to let the characters develop more? Point about that last one, I do plan to give the girls, at least some of them, more chapters so I can develop them and the relationship/dynamic between them and Naegi and the other girls there.**

 **As for the vote tallies: Sonia won, followed closely by the original order, so I think I will do as some of you have suggested and do Sonia, Akane, Aoi, and then Mahiru. I could even make the Mahiru chapter part of a small story arc with her, Mikan, and Hiyoko. What do you think?**

 **Anyway, read and review and I until next time stay frosty.**

 **Oh, two more things.**

 **First, I actually looked up the record for leaves on a clover. 56! It was found by Obara Shigeo back in 2009 as of this post.**

 **And second:**

 **Trigger=Twitter**

 **Shot=Tweet**

 **Re-fire=Retweet**

 **It seemed clever when I thought of it the first time.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Princess

* * *

 **Hello again oh readers, mine, allow me to welcome you to another chapter of "Everyday Life with Ultimate Girls." I hope everyone is ready for this chapter about your favorite princess and mine, Sonia Nevermind.**

 **Before we get started I would like to thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter, you were all great. I would also like to thank everyone who messages me regarding this story, your suggestions help immensely. Even what I don't use makes me think of things differently and helps me move forward with the story. You are all great!**

 **I would also like to take a moment to congratulate Shadow-DJ and Ark19 for their new fanfics. "Danganronpa Ultimate Academy" from Shadow-DJ and "Ultimate Secret Friends" from Ark19, if you haven't check them out, I would certainly recommend doing so.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

The Princess of Novoselic soon closed the gap between her and the average young man from Japan. Naegi, whose face was red from being referred to as "darling," was mesmerized by not just her movements but the regal aura she exuded. However, Naegi knew he had to compose himself for what he knew Sonia wanted to discuss.

"Naegi-kun we must discuss travel arrangements at some point. My parents are 'hella stoked' that I have met the legendary hero. I just know that they and the people of Novoselic will absolutely adore you," Sonia said with stars in her eyes.

"I'd be honored to go to Novoselic to meet your family and your people Senpai, but…" Naegi started before he got cut off.

"No buts, Naegi-kun," Sonia said with authority.

 _No matter how many times she does that it's always impressive, sweet and calm to regal in less than a second,_ Naegi thought. Sonia's authoritative manner couldn't stop Naegi from completing his thoughts though, _I was going to say you may not want to introduce me as your country's legendary hero. I've never really done anything all that special. I just afraid that I'll embarrass Sonia-senpai by not being what she expects me to be._

"Naegi-kun, you need not worry. You may not believe in your greatness, but I do," Sonia said with a sweet smile. _I simply cannot understand why my destined one refuses to acknowledge how amazing he really is, but that humility is part of his charm,_ she thought, remembering how she discovered Naegi's true identity as her "destined one."

Sonia's words brought a soft smile to Naegi's face, but it didn't ease his concerns. _If clumsiness, bad luck, and being in the right place at the right time makes one a legendary hero then shouldn't there be more? There's not much I can do about it though, Sonia-senpai won't hear a word against me, not even from me,_ Naegi thought as he remembered how this all started.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Sunday_

It was the first time in a week that Mioda had joined the others for breakfast and everyone was in high spirits. One of the girls in particular wanted to express her happiness.

"Mioda-san, I am glad to see that you are back to your old self," Sonia said.

"Thanks Sonia-chan, Ibuki is sorry she made you worry," Mioda responded.

"Oh no, I am the one who should be sorry. I apologize that I couldn't help you more," Sonia said. Sonia had taken a few turns keeping Mioda company, but she had been unable to think of ways to help her out of her depression.

"It's no biggie, Makoto-chan took care of it," Mioda said happily, a blush adorning her cheeks at the mention of Naegi.

"I was happy to help Mioda-senpai, we're friends after all," Naegi said as he entered with a plate of what appeared to be french toast. This was a regular sight by now, but there was something different about Naegi this morning.

"No hoodie or jacket today Naegi-kun?" Maizono asked when she saw Naegi in a plain white shirt.

"Huh? Oh, I got my jacket and hoodie wet this morning, so I took them off to dry," Naegi explained as he started loading plates with food.

Ordinarily that would have been the end of the matter, but Sonia had a question for Naegi. "Do you always wear a white shirt, Naegi-kun?" she asked.

Naegi thought it was an odd question, but he answered anyway, "I do actually. It's kind of a weird quirk of mine, but it feels weird if I wear anything other than a white shirt under my hoodie."

 _A white shirt, a plain, if not rather cute, face, and an antenna. Although I believe the others refer to it as an ahoge. I wonder if Naegi-kun could be…,_ those thoughts were interrupted as soon as Sonia took a bite of breakfast. Surprised, she asked, "Naegi-kun is this…?"

"While not as noticeable as Mioda-senpai, it did seem like you weren't quite your usual self either Sonia-senpai. I figured maybe the taste of Novoselic might make you feel better," Naegi explained.

"So, this isn't french toast?" Celes asked. Not that she or any of the other girls actually minded, whatever it was called, it was good.

"It is, but there are a few extra ingredients and it requires more prep time. I guess it's kind of like how you like your Royal Milk Tea. I've read that this was how the people of Novoselic enjoy french toast," Naegi explained.

"I do not believe I ever mentioned Novoselic," Sonia said, slightly shocked, not just that Naegi knew where she was from, but that he had ever heard of Novoselic to begin with.

"You haven't but when you gave your name and title on the first day I put two and two together, House Nevermind has ruled Novoselic for many generations," Naegi said.

"You seem rather knowledgeable about Novoselic. Even cartographers often overlook my homeland," Sonia stated, it made her happy that someone had heard of her country when most of the world had not.

"Well, I wouldn't say knowledgeable. I did a report on Novoselic in my second year of junior high and I thought it sounded like a fascinating country," Naegi clarified. Remembering what he had said that had started this conversation he asked, "Sonia-senpai, I know I already said this, but you seem like you've had something on your mind, is anything the matter?"

"It is nothing much, it is just that I have been informed that Novoselic will be opening an embassy in Japan very soon," Sonia said.

"I think I heard about that on the news, rather than in the capital they decided on a location close to…," Naegi trailed of as he realized what was bothering Sonia.

"Close to Hope's Peak Academy, correct," Sonia finished for him. Continuing Sonia said, "I believe that this may have less to do with foreign relations and more to do with monitoring me."

"Well, I guess I can understand. You are the only daughter of the royal family," Naegi said. Naegi may not know much about royalty, but if his parents were anything to go by then he knew how much parents worried when their child left home.

"I realize that, it is just that when I came here I wished to be treated like a normal Japanese high school girl and I don't know if that will be possible now," Sonia said sadly.

"Well, it could just be a coincidence. Embassies are usually placed in a nation's capital city, but there have been cases where they've been placed elsewhere," Naegi said, trying to cheer her up. He doubted that would convince her, but he wouldn't be Naegi Makoto if he didn't try to look on the bright side.

"Perhaps, but it is unlikely," Sonia responded.

"Don't let it get to you Sonia-senpai, I'm sure everything will be alright," Naegi said with a reassuring smile.

"Maybe you are right Naegi-kun," Sonia said, feeling better. She had not interacted much with Naegi before this morning, but for some reason she felt like she could believe him. She wasn't sure why she would feel that way, but she decided that she would like to know more about the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Cafeteria_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Monday_

Sonia's first opportunity to learn about Naegi came at lunch time the very next day. As Class 78 and Class 77-B were gathering in the cafeteria, Sonia spotted Naegi sitting at a table with Ikusaba, Maizono, and Mioda. After she had gotten her own lunch she made her way towards that Naegi's table, ignoring one of her classmate's attempts to get her attention.

"Sonia-san! Over here! It's a private table for you and me!" Souda yelled, while waving one arm frantically in the vain attempt to catch Sonia's attention. He stopped when Sonia stopped in front of Naegi's table and then curled up in a fetal position as tears streamed down his face.

Naegi, who had a perfect view of Souda, asked, "Is Souda-senpai going to be okay?"

"Kazuichi-chan always gets like that when Sonia-chan ignores him," Mioda explained.

 _It may be better if I just let that go,_ Naegi thought to himself. Turning his attention to Sonia, he asked, "Would you care to join us Sonia-senpai?"

"I would be delighted," Sonia answered before taking a seat at the table. While the others were focused on lunch, Sonia was trying to think of a way to phrase the question she wanted to ask Naegi.

It seemed that Naegi had questions of his own as he asked, "Sonia-senpai, is it alright if I ask you about Novoselic?"

"Yes, you are more than welcome to," Sonia answered, always happy to sing the praises of her homeland.

"As I said this morning, I did a report on Novoselic in junior high, but there was not much information," Naegi said.

"Yes, that is understandable, I believe I mentioned that even cartographers overlook Novoselic," Sonia said. Though she did her best to hide it, Naegi thought she sounded disappointed by that fact.

"How about I start by telling you what I learned and maybe you could give me more details?" Naegi suggested, hoping to improve Sonia's mood.

"Oh yes, that idea sounds 'totally sweet,'" Sonia said.

 _I guess she really is trying to be a normal girl. She's overdoing it, but it's actually kind of cute,_ Naegi thought. Pushing that thought aside, Naegi said, "I had read that Novoselic Kingdom is an extremely small country that is governed by an absolute monarchy. Though it possesses a small population, it enjoys a thriving economy. I had also read that for generations, the royal family has protected the kingdom and its people from neighboring countries and it is thanks to that, the people still have a complete trust towards the royal family."

"Yes, that is all correct," Sonia confirmed with a nod.

"Oh, and I also read that Novoselic's specialties are wine and chocolate," Naegi quickly added.

"Yes, all who have tried our wine, or our chocolate swear it is the greatest in the world," Sonia said with pride.

"It sounds like a fairy tale come to life. Now I really want to visit someday," Naegi said as he scratched the back of his head.

"You would be more than welcome, Naegi-kun," Sonia said with a smile. Figuring now would be a good time to ask her question, Sonia asked, "Naegi-kun is it all right if I ask you something as well?"

"I'd be more than happy to answer your questions, Sonia-senpai. Provided I can answer, I mean," Naegi said, before he took a bite of his lunch.

Taking a deep breath, Sonia asked, "Who did you have your heart set on initially, and who do you intend to switch to later?"

Shocked by that question, Naegi started choking. Fortunately for him the other girls had been paying attention to the conversation between the two. All three reached for their respective drinks, but Maizono was the quickest. After Naegi gulped down what Maizono had passed him, and completely missed the smug look Maizono directed at her rivals, he asked, "What?!"

"Did I do something wrong?" Sonia asked, confused. "After watching 'The Story of Seven Men and Women' I thought it was a standard tactic to start wavering and swapping partners," Sonia explained.

The other girls were trying their hardest not to laugh. They were not laughing at Sonia, even Ikusaba and Maizono had interacted with the young princess enough to know Sonia was naïve about many things. No, they were trying not to laugh at how uncomfortable Naegi looked as he attempted to string words together.

"Um, well, uh…girls a little help," Naegi pleaded.

"Oh, no, no, no. I'm sure we all want to hear this," Ikusaba said, teasingly. The other girls nodded in agreement.

Naegi sighed, he probably would have found this funny if Sonia had asked anyone else that question. Before he attempted to explain he figured he needed to get clarification, so Naegi asked, "Sonia-senpai, you're talking about that Trendy drama from the late 1980s, right?"

"Yes! It is amazing! It starts off really upbeat, but then it gets really serious, I never expected that to happen... It was all like, 'Seriously, what is going to happen?' I just could not take my eyes off the screen! Momoko's feelings at the time were... My goodness! So intense!" Sonia raved with sparkles in her eyes.

 _She's a total J-Drama fangirl,_ Naegi thought, before saying, "I'm sorry to tell you this Senpai, but that was just a TV show, I wouldn't count on anything like that happening."

"Oh," Sonia said, sounding slightly disappointed. _It seems I still have much to learn about Japan,_ Sonia thought.

"I have to admit Sonia-senpai, you scared me with that question in the beginning," Naegi said.

"I assure you that was not my intention," Sonia said, her tone heavy with guilt.

"No, no, I understand. It's just that "The Story of Seven Men and Women" involved the main cast having one-night stands with each other. It's not behavior I would engage in normally anyway but given my current situation it could cause a lot of problems. Not just for me, but the school and possibly you and the other girls. At first, I thought you were accusing me of something," Naegi explained.

"I asked you without even considering that," Sonia said surprised at herself. _A princess should never cause trouble for others like this,_ Sonia thought.

"No harm done, but like I said, that was just a TV show. Real life is different. Although, I suppose that there is a certain irony in me saying that, since my current living situation is like something out of an anime," Naegi said.

When Sonia didn't respond, Naegi said, "I'm sorry Senpai, I didn't mean to upset you. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, I'll do it."

"Since it seems that I still have much to learn about Japan, could I come to you if I have questions?" Sonia asked.

"Of course, Sonia-senpai. You can come to me for anything," Naegi said with a kind and sincere smile.

That put a smile back on Sonia's face. "Have you always been such a kind, caring person Naegi-kun?" Sonia asked.

"It's the only way I know how to live my life, Senpai," Naegi answered.

Sonia could tell Naegi was completely serious when he said that. For the second time in as many days, she found herself impressed by the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm Common Area_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Wednesday_

Classes had officially ended for the day but for Sonia Nevermind, there were still lessons to attend. True to his word, Naegi had been more than happy to answer any and all questions she had about Japanese culture. Of course, she wasn't the only one learning. Naegi had the occasional question about Novoselic too, and Sonia had been more than happy to answer.

They had discussed many things: cultural norms and mores; landmarks and the history behind them; attractions like amusement parks (in Novoselic's case, the lack thereof); and the current subject of education.

"…and that is why children as young as six learn to operate a tank in Novoselic," Sonia finished.

 _I kind of understand, but I still can't say I approve,_ Naegi thought. The two had been discussing education in Japan and Novoselic. When Sonia mentioned grade school children driving tanks, of course Naegi requested an explanation. Still, he voiced his appreciation by saying, "Thank you Senpai, I appreciate you telling me about Novoselic."

"No thanks are necessary Naegi-kun, you have been doing the same for me with Japan," Sonia responded happily. And why shouldn't she be happy, not only did she get to learn about Japan, but she was given the opportunity to teach someone about the country she would one day rule, something that even her own classmates had shown little interest in.

"By the way Sonia-senpai, this is a bit more of a personal question, but the other day I noticed how passionate you are about Japanese dramas. Do you have a favorite?" Naegi asked.

Sonia's eyes lit up before she exclaimed, "Yes! I do not know how many times I have seen 'I Will Arrest Your Eyes!'! In fact, when I arrived in Japan, the first thing I did was run across the Spain-zaka!"

 _I know that show took place in Shibuya. And Shibuya is a tourist hotspot to be sure, but I don't see much point in running across the "Spanish Hill." Well, if it makes Sonia-senpai happy then maybe the "why" doesn't matter,_ Naegi thought.

"Hmm, in my opinion, I believe the best Japanese dramas were... The ones aimed at women between the ages of 20 to 34, just before Japan's economic bubble burst! The trendiness, energy, and quality... Entertainment was truly at its zenith during this period," Sonia continued.

Naegi nodded. He wasn't big on dramas, but there were a fair share of anime and manga from that time that he had a great fondness for. He was also impressed that Sonia even knew about the Japanese asset price bubble. _She's really done her homework_ , Naegi thought.

"Like all entertainment, Japanese dramas heavily reference their native culture and because of this, slang expressions were often used, so there are some things foreigners may not understand..." Sonia said, trailing off.

Naegi, realizing what Sonia was getting at, said, "If there is anything you don't understand, I'd be happy to explain."

"Thank you very much! Um, so for example: When lovers go on a ski trip, they always end up trapped by a blizzard, right? In that situation, what do you call the ritual where they warm themselves under a blanket while naked?" Sonia asked innocently.

 _I agree with you that one can learn a lot about other cultures through their entertainment Senpai, but I think you may be learning the wrong things,_ Naegi thought uncomfortably as he struggled to find a way to explain. When he finally did find the words, he said, "W-Well...that's not really a ritual, it's...um, how should I put it? It's more like a cliché, maybe even a trope at this point."

"Oh, is that so? I certainly thought it was something known in my country as 'Makango,'" Sonia said. Naegi thought she seemed disappointed, whether it was because of his explanation or that she had misunderstood, he did not know.

"Makango? Oh, I recognize that word. I had read that Novoselic has traditions that involve the local wildlife, but I couldn't really find anything specific about the makango," Naegi said, wracking his brain to try and recall anything else.

"Y-yes, that is true. According to tradition, lovers cannot become one until they show each other the mankangos they have grown," Sonia started as she turned red.

 _Wait…grown? I thought that they were animals,_ Naegi thought as he tilted his head in confusion.

Sonia must have mistaken it for a gesture urging her to continue because she soon said, "I-It is too embarrassing, so please do not make me say it."

"Embarrassing?" Naegi asked more confused than ever.

"You will get a nosebleed!" Sonia exclaimed.

 _Nosebleed? Wait… "become one," does she mean…? Oh crap!_ Naegi thought as realization dawned on him. He quickly said, "Okay, I'll drop it." _The last thing I need to do in my situation is talk about sex. Especially not with a foreign student, and especially not with a princess,_ Naegi thought, hoping no one had heard their conversation. He was right, although the girls were beginning to understand that Naegi was harmless, he didn't want to risk someone thinking he was trying to take advantage of Sonia's naiveté.

Sonia sighed in relief and with a smile said, "Good. I do apologize Naegi-kun but…"

"No, I understand. I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable Senpai," Naegi said. He was, more than what that conversation could mean for him, he hated that he made his new friend uncomfortable.

"It is fine Naegi-kun, you did not know," Sonia said with a kind understanding smile.

Remembering the other day, Naegi started chuckling and asked, "I guess that makes us even for Monday, huh Senpai?"

It took Sonia a moment to recall what Naegi meant, but when she did she started giggling before saying, "I suppose it does, Naegi-kun."

"And you were worried," Naegi said, done laughing but with a smile still on his face.

"What do you mean, Naegi-kun?" Sonia asked, confused. _I do not believe that I have mentioned being worried,_ she thought.

"You were worried you wouldn't be able to be a normal high school girl. Laughing with friends about things like this, I think that's pretty normal," Naegi explained.

Sonia started to laugh and said, "I do believe that you are right, Naegi-kun". She was touched that Naegi had bothered to remember that. Her classmates mostly treated her like a normal student, and she was grateful for that, but right now she felt more like a normal Japanese high school girl than she ever had. _It feels good to feel this way_ , Sonia thought happily. For the rest of the evening the other girls would see the Ultimate Princess wearing the biggest smile they had ever seen from her.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Behind the Old School Building_

 _Seventh Week of Classes-Tuesday_

Classes had ended for the day, and most of the students went about their business. Naegi would have been one of them, but for a note he had received last evening. It read:

 _Naegi-kun,_

 _Please meet me behind the Old School Building at 3:30 tomorrow. There is something I wish to discuss with you. Tell no one and make sure you are not followed._

 _Yours,_

 _Sonia Nevermind_

Receiving a note from a pretty girl that asked to meet in secret would have made Naegi nervous regardless, but the fact that it was from an actual princess made it that much more nerve-wracking. Being alone with his thoughts wasn't exactly helping either, _What could this be about? It couldn't be… No, "tell no one and make sure you are not followed" makes it sound too urgent. But then why wait at all?_

"Naegi-kun, you're exactly thirteen minutes early. Excellent!" an excited voice exclaimed. Naegi turned and saw that Sonia had arrived.

"Senpai, is everything alri-," Naegi started.

"Shush! Lower your voice! We do not know who might be listening in!" Sonia warned.

If Naegi hadn't thought something was wrong before, Sonia's words and serious expression would have convinced him.

Sonia must have sensed Naegi's anxiety, for in a calm, soothing voice she soon said, "Now then, come closer. ...No need to worry."

That managed to calm Naegi down, who soon did as he was asked. Still, Naegi couldn't help but wonder what it was that Sonia needed to discuss that required this secrecy.

He wouldn't have long to wait, because as soon as Sonia deemed him close enough she asked, "Naegi-kun, do you happen to know a lot about the occult?"

That had not been what Naegi was expecting, but he still answered, "Uh, I know a few things about ghosts and fortune-telling if that helps."

"Ah!" Sonia exclaimed happily.

Deciding he needed to clarify, Naegi continued, "My sister, Komaru, believes she can see ghosts, although the first 'ghost' she claimed to see belonged to someone who was still alive. That said, she still seems to be able to see things no one else can, so I believe her. It was because of that that I tried to read up on ghosts when I was younger."

"And fortune-telling?" Sonia asked, making a mental note to get the full story from Naegi one day.

"When I learned I was going to be classmates with the Ultimate Clairvoyant I tried to learn about the different methods of fortune-telling. I did it so that way Hagakure-kun and I had something to talk about, but it turns out he'd rather talk about aliens and OOPart," Naegi explained. Mentally, he added, _I also learned that he doesn't believe in the occult, but unless Sonia-senpai or anyone else wants to get a reading from him, I think I can keep that to myself._

Sonia didn't ask for more details. Instead, she asked, "Do you know much what about cults?"

"Not very much, I'm afraid," Naegi admitted, not really sure what it was Sonia was getting at.

"Hmm, well I suppose that will do for now. Let us disperse," Sonia said.

"Wait, Senpai, what were all these questions and all the secrecy about?" Naegi asked.

Sonia seemed to weigh the decision of whether or not to answer Naegi's question before she said, "I can see no harm in telling you. Though I understand it is a forbidden interest for a princess, I am quite interested in Freemasonry!"

Naegi gave confused look, that really didn't answer his question.

"Of course, my interest is purely academic. I have no intention of conspiring to overthrow the government," Sonia elaborated.

 _I can see how that could be awkward,_ Naegi thought.

"But when I think about Freemasonry, my chest begins to hurt," Sonia added.

 _She's passionate, but I think she might have the wrong idea,_ Naegi thought.

"However, it seems not many people understand this feeling of mine. And because of that, I feel quite lonely. Sometimes I feel like I could just cry," Sonia said sadly.

Naegi put his hand on Sonia's shoulder and gave a kind smile, both to comfort her and to urge her to continue.

It worked because she soon gave a resolute smile and said, "However, expanding my knowledge like this is the duty every member of the royal family. And that is why I am interested in the occult, cults, and popular dramas!"

 _That's an admirable attitude, but those sound like the interests of high school girl, not the research of a future head of state,_ Naegi thought.

"I have always believed that dismissing a different set of values due to ignorance is foolish. I asked you here because I believed that you would understand, and I am pleased to see that I was right," Sonia said happily.

 _Yeah, I guess I do_ , Naegi thought. That he had bothered to learn about ghosts and fortune-telling was proof of that.

"I do not know how many foolish wars have be fought on the basis of that ignorance. Of course, my country is no exception. We still have many unique traditions that other cultures would not truly understand," Sonia finished.

"Like the makango and… I believe they're called skong?" Naegi asked.

"Yes, in Novoselic you are not acknowledged as an adult until you consume a skong," Sonia confirmed.

 _I've never seen a picture of either of these animals, but for some reason that sounds unappetizing,_ Naegi thought.

"However, I think my generation should be objecting to these traditions," Sonia said. She continued, "Although it is nice to retain makangos and skongs as a symbol of high status, auctioning them to the highest bidder goes against the spirit of animal conservation. I am not suggesting that we end this tradition completely, I shall simply find new uses for makangos and skongs."

"Like what?" Naegi asked, he thought maybe he could find out more about these animals if Sonia explained her plans.

"They grow when they're scared and shrink when angered. I plan to harness the energy they release in this state. By using the knowledge of the past, we shall develop a new energy source from our old traditions!" Sonia's voice was full of conviction as she exclaimed this.

 _That really just raises more questions. I wasn't aware animals like that actually existed,_ Naegi thought.

Sonia continued, "I understand that it may be a difficult path. However, I shall accomplish it by any means! After all, guiding my people along the right path is the duty of a ruler!"

"You're really amazing Senpai. Your people are really lucky to have you," Naegi said.

"Thank you Naegi-kun, but to me, I am simply doing my duty as a princess," Sonia said, humbly.

"Maybe, but I still think it's amazing that you would want to embark on such a task when you know it's difficult. Change is hard, and those who have benefitted from those traditions aren't going to be so willing to embrace it. I know there probably isn't much I can do to help you, but I will be hoping for you to succeed," Naegi said.

Sonia felt her cheeks grow warm for some reason and said, "Thank you Naegi-kun." Sonia didn't know why, but that difficult path of hers felt less difficult now.

"I don't think I did anything worth your thanks Senpai, but you're welcome," Naegi said. As the two made their way back to the dorm, Naegi turned to Sonia and asked, "Sonia-senpai, after last time I won't ask you about makangos, but could you tell me skongs?"

Sonia nodded before saying, "Well, skongs look a great deal like…"

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Eighth Week of Classes-Sunday_

It was after lunch when Naegi found himself in front of the door to Sonia's room. He had been invited here after a brief conversation earlier in the day. He and Sonia had been talking and he had asked what he thought was an innocent enough question: "Why had Novoselic been overlooked for so long?" He had been expecting a history lesson, but what he got was a serious look from Sonia before she told him to come to her room later so she could explain.

 _I've never seen Sonia-senpai look so serious,_ Naegi thought before knocking on the door. He was glad most of the dorm's other occupants knew where he would be and why, it would save him awkward explanations. Although, perhaps explanations were no longer necessary, as it seemed that even Koizumi and Saionji no longer believed that Naegi would try something if he and girl were alone in his or her room together. He wasn't sure what had changed, but he was grateful for it. He was so distracted by this line of thought that he almost missed Sonia saying, "Come in."

Naegi did as he was told, and when he had entered he saw Sonia sitting on her bed with the same expression she had worn when she had told him to come to her room.

"Ah Naegi-kun, please have a seat," Sonia said as she motioned towards the chair at her desk. After Naegi had done so, Sonia took a deep breath and Naegi decided to speak.

"Sonia-senpai, if you don't want to discuss this we don't have to," Naegi told her.

"No, no, it is not that. It is…Well, once I have finished I am sure you will understand," Sonia said. She soon stood up and started pacing before she stopped and asked, "Before we begin, are you familiar with the phrase, ' _damnatio memoriae?"_

"' _Damnatio memoriae'_ is a Latin phrase literally meaning 'condemnation of memory', it means that a person must not be remembered. It was a form of dishonor that could be passed by the Roman Senate on traitors or others who brought discredit to the Roman State. The intent was to erase all memory of the malefactor," Naegi answered.

"Correct. Do you know which two countries border Novoselic?" Sonia asked.

"There is the Republic of Borginia that almost completely surrounds Novoselic to the south and in the sea to the north there is the island nation of Fortuna," Naegi answered.

Sonia had one more question, "Have you ever heard of the 'Divine Right of Kings?'"

"That's the political and religious doctrine of royal and political legitimacy that asserted that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving the right to rule directly from the will of God." Naegi wasn't sure of the point of any of these questions, but he was sure Sonia would explain.

"Good, this will save us some time. I need you to understand all of these before I tell you Novoselic's history," Sonia began. Sonia sat back down on her bed before continuing, "As you know, my family has ruled Novoselic for the longest time, and the story of how that came to be is part of the reason why Novoselic has been overlooked for so long. Though, overlooked is not the word I would use."

For the first time since he had known her, Naegi thought he had heard bitterness in Sonia's voice as she said that last part.

"Before House Nevermind ruled Novoselic there was only one other royal family, that of House Dosinmatter. My family simply served under them until sometime in the Early Middle Ages when King Eric Dosenmatter ascended to the throne. The reign of Eric the Depraved and what happened next would shape the course of Novoselic's history for centuries," Sonia began. She saw that Naegi sat and listened with rapt attention and she continued.

"Whether it was madness or cruelty, no one can say, but Eric Dosinmatter more than earned his moniker, the Depraved. When farmers had a poor growing season a member of their family would be executed; he would demand tribute from random citizens and if he found it lacking he would leave them to rot in the dungeons, where it is believed that he would personally torture them; any of his men that would take pity on the citizens would be executed for the 'crime of weakness.' There are other examples that I will not go into as I believe you understand."

"As I said before, my family served House Dosinmatter since the beginning, and at first this was no different. When my ancestor Viktor Nevermind became Eric's advisor, he attempted to reign him in, but to no avail. Eric would not stop, and I imagine he saw no reason to. This was before the Social Contract Theory, kings were, as you stated, 'subject to no earthly authority.' However, as time wore on and Eric's depravity grew, Viktor and others who could not stomach his evil began to see no other way. They would commit regicide to save Novoselic, not matter what happened to them. It was rather one-sided, Eric had not done much to endear himself to his subjects, and few rallied to his side. You had said that those who benefit from traditions are likely to oppose change, well those who had benefitted from Eric's rule, and there were a few ministers who had, were all who would oppose my ancestor and his men. In a matter of days Eric was dead and his loyalists and his wife were placed on a ship and would be left on an island to the north, present day Fortuna, which at the time was where Novoselic exiled repeat offenders that were undeterred by the stocks."

"With Eric gone a new king would be needed and as he was the one who had taken Eric's life, my ancestor Viktor was made king. For the people of Novoselic, this made sense: an unjust ruler would be replaced by a just one. I believe that in China and East Asia such a thing is called the 'Mandate of Heaven.'"

Naegi interrupted, "Yes, while the divine right of kings granted unconditional legitimacy, the Mandate of Heaven was dependent on the behavior of the ruler, the Son of Heaven. Heaven would bless the authority of a just ruler, but it could be displeased with a despotic ruler and thus withdraw its mandate, transferring it to a more suitable and righteous person. This withdrawal of mandate also afforded the possibility of revolution as a means to remove the errant ruler."

"Correct, but sadly, revolt was never legitimate under the European framework of divine right, in fact such a notion was sacrilegious," Sonia said. Then, picking up where she left off she said, "When word of this had spread to other kingdoms, it was believed that it was only a matter of time before divine punishment would be visited upon Novoselic. As you can plainly see, that did not happen. In fact, Novoselic seemed to enjoy even greater prosperity than before the reign of Eric. As such, accusations of witchcraft and deals with the devil began to circulate among the neighboring kingdoms to the point where even associating with someone from Novoselic was severely punished. It was through this that a name and a moniker were born: Fortuna was given its name for it was fortunate that those loyal to Eric would not share Novoselic's fate. This name was conceived by those loyal to Eric who had been banished to the island. They also came up with a moniker for the newly crowned King Viktor. He who had gone against Heaven would be known as Viktor the Forsaken. That was fine for Fortuna, but the rest of Europe had a different idea. Perhaps you wondered why I asked if you were familiar with _damnatio memoriae_? I realize that it must seem odd since the Fall of Rome had already happened, but Rome's influence is still very much a part of Europe today. Think of how much more noticeable it was in the time of Viktor. It was decided in order to protect their kingdoms and the rest of Europe, the knowledge and memory of Novoselic must be erased, a different type of _damnatio memoriae_."

"Of course, as with the actual _damnatio memoriae_ , it was difficult, to implement the practice completely. Just look at Rome. The Roman Senate had wanted to condemn the memory of Caligula, but Claudius prevented this. Nero was declared an enemy of the state by the Senate, but then given an enormous funeral honoring him after his death by Vitellius. And so, it was for Novoselic, as other Europeans would unknowingly associate with its people," Sonia said.

"They would, of course, not refer to themselves as people of Novoselic, as anyone from Novoselic and those associating with them would be executed. For their safety, people of Novoselic that did business with those from other lands would say that they were from a kingdom called Borginia. I doubt that they could imagine that many centuries later this lie would become the truth."

Sonia stopped, reached for a glass of water she had on bedside table, and took a sip. She then continued, "My apologies, where was I? Oh yes, Borginia. Novoselic was once much larger than it is today: Both the Republic of Borginia and Fortuna had both once been a part of it. You have heard how Fortuna had come to be and you have heard the origin of the name Borginia. Between present day Novoselic and Borginia, there is a large mountain range that surrounds Novoselic on three sides. For centuries, the only way through was a narrow pass. While Novoselic has the natural resources to be self-sufficient, on the other side of those mountains, the land that would become Borginia had to trade with neighbors to survive. However, that is not what caused Borginia to split off from Novoselic, that is merely how and why the use of the name Borginia began. For though Eric's cruelty did not reach them as often as it did those inside that mountain range, it still managed to reach them. They agreed that Novoselic was better off without Eric, but like I said, they still needed trade to survive. With this in mind, the position of Earl of Borginia was deemed necessary, and so in one of his last official acts as king, Viktor appointed one. House Cudhaben was known for its prudence, wisdom, and generosity, they were seen as excellent for their role as Earls and Countesses. For a time, things proceeded smoothly, until the Black Death swept through Europe."

"By this time many generations had passed and Novoselic was ruled by King Abram. While the Black Death was decimating the people of Europe, those with limited trade managed to avoid the worst of it. It was perhaps because the rest of the continent had blacklisted Novoselic that it passed the northern part of Novoselic completely. Those in Borginia were not so fortunate, not even House Cudhaben, which had been completely wiped out."

"With no heir to take over, Abram called his two sons Alexander and Albert. Alexander, the older of the two was charismatic and it was well known that he knew how to fight, but his leadership skills had been untested. Albert was more a thinker than a fighter, and although less charismatic than his brother, his kind and generous nature made him popular among the people. With no one to succeed the Earl of Borginia, King Abram appointed Alexander as the Duke of Borginia."

"Instead of seeing this for what it was, a way to test him for his future as king and an act of trust, Alexander saw this as a plot to make Albert the king. Once he had made the journey into Borginia, he declared the new 'Duchy of Borginia' a sovereign nation and gathered an army to take what was his. It was easy enough to gather an army, with his aforementioned charisma he told the people he was sent to govern that Novoselic had escaped the effects of the Black Death because they had the cure and were withholding it. A simple lie and perhaps even back then it may have been considered transparent, but to those still reeling from loss and looking for someone to blame, it became a rallying cry."

"I cannot imagine the pain of Abram and Albert at the thought of fighting their son and brother, but they understood their responsibility to their people, so fight they did. Both made repeated attempts to reason with Alexander and the opposing army but to no avail. Although Alexander could fight, it turned out he could not lead, and his already small force was repelled back to the other side of the mountains. As a final act of malice against the family he believed had wronged him, he had a gate erected between the mountain pass of Borginia and Novoselic and encouraged the people of Borginia to tell of a land of desolation and evil within the mountains to all who would listen. Who would correct them? Europe had almost completely forgotten about Novoselic by this point, the only evidence that it existed was the worn and well-traveled mountain pass."

"As you have noted, my family has protected Novoselic from neighboring countries for generations. It is the people of Borginia and Fortuna that we have been protecting them from. These old grudges lingered for the longest time and those claiming to be descended from Eric from Fortuna and those descended from Alexander from Borginia would come and try to take what they believed was rightfully theirs."

"Thankfully, that is not so much a problem today, or rather we do not have to fear invading armies. During the Enlightenment, specifically the spread of the idea of the Social Contract Theory, both those claiming to be descendants of Eric and the descendants of Alexander had been deposed by their own people. For the most part, Fortuna no longer bears Novoselic a grudge and when the true cause of the Black Death and how to avoid it had been discovered, Borginia finally made peace with Novoselic. There are still groups that claim they are loyal to the true royalty of Novoselic that are supposedly led by the descendants of Eric and Alexander and have conducted acts of terror to achieve their goals."

"It was not until the late nineteenth century that all of Europe once again acknowledged the existence of Novoselic, the rest of the world had at least heard of us by the early twentieth, but somehow we are still often overlooked. I believe that our location combined with our ability to remain self-sufficient has led to isolationist tendencies, considering what Novoselic has gone through I cannot say I blame those who wished to remain isolated from the world. Though after the Cold War this sentiment has changed as we have realized that Novoselic must keep up with the rest of the world or we will not survive," Sonia said.

It seemed that Sonia had finished, so Naegi asked, "Thank you for explaining all of this, but why the secrecy, shouldn't everyone hear this?"

"You are right Naegi-kun, there is no need to keep this information secret. I do it so that the others will not see me so…so…" Sonia said as she struggled to find the right word.

"Bitter?" Naegi suggested.

"Yes, I am bitter. I know that all of this is in the past and that it is time to move forward. I want to move forward, but when I think about what happened I cannot help it. Whether or not other kingdoms believed that what Viktor did was justified why force the people of Novoselic to suffer for it? Because they rebelled with him against an unjust ruler? What would they have had them do? Suffer until Eric wiped them all out? Alexander was no better. He wanted to rule but suspicion and jealousy cost him his chance and he made two nations suffer for it. Would it not have been better to talk to his father and brother? Was it so hard to try to understand? Albert tried again and again to get him to return. Why would he not listen?" Sonia vented with tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. Seeing that Naegi was looking at her and not missing his sympathetic gaze, Sonia broke down and between sobs managed to say, "I'm sorry, Naegi-kun, but now you understand why I speak of foolish wars and ignorance. This is why I believe that understanding is so important. Perhaps it is foolish of me to speak of such things while I hold these feelings when I think of the past. Do I even have a right to talk about the future when I hold these feelings?" She probably would have kept going but Naegi had come over and pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay Senpai, this is just proof of how much you love Novoselic and its people," Naegi said as he rubbed her back soothingly. Sonia continued sobbing for a few more minutes before she finally calmed down.

"I am sorry you had to see me like that, Naegi-kun," she apologized.

"It's alright, Senpai. Honestly, seeing how much you love your country and its people make me think of how lucky they are to have a princess like you," Naegi said.

"I appreciate that Naegi-kun, but what would my people say if they saw me like this?" Sonia asked.

"If they saw just how deep your love for them, their history, and Novoselic is, it could only make them love you more," Naegi responded.

Sonia blushed and said, "Th-thank you, Naegi-kun." _My heart is beating so fast,_ she thought.

"You're welcome, Senpai. Don't worry, I won't tell the others about this if you really don't want me to, but I know none of them would fault you for feeling the way you do," Naegi said.

"Do you really think so?" Sonia asked.

"Of course, normal high school students have strong feelings and get emotional all the time, it's okay to let your friends help you when you feel this way. If something happened or there is something bothering you, I'll help. In fact, you have a lot of amazing people willing to help you. But I understand why you're worried," Naegi said.

"You do?" Sonia asked.

"It's because you're a princess, right?" Naegi asked back.

"Yes, it seems me being a normal Japanese high school girl is just a fantasy," Sonia said sadly.

"Well, I can't make you Japanese," Naegi said as he scratched the back of his head before continuing, "but I don't think you have to give up on being a normal high school girl. I understand that you are a princess. You have a weight on your shoulders that I couldn't possibly understand, and that for your people's sake you must be perfect. Maybe you think that if you are seen as fallible that they will lose their faith in the royal family. I can't say for sure if that is true, but I don't know why you can't be both a princess and a normal high school girl. It's okay to feel, it's okay to not be perfect, as long as it doesn't interfere with your duties I think everyone would understand."

Sonia just stood there with a contemplative look on her face.

Naegi, thinking he had crossed some line said, "I'm sorry, Senpai. I know I can't really understand since I'm not royalty."

"You have done nothing wrong Naegi-kun, but you have given me something to think about," Sonia said with a bright smile.

Relieved, Naegi said, "I'm glad to hear that Senpai. Thank you for the history lesson." When he had put his hand on the doorknob, he stopped, turned, smiled and said, "For what it's worth, even when you're the Queen of Novoselic, you'll still be Sonia-senpai to me."

The red came back to Sonia's cheeks and she swore her heart beat even faster than before. All she said in response was, "It's worth more than you can imagine. Thank you, Naegi-kun."

* * *

 _Present Day_

BOOOOMMM!

The two were brought back to the present by a loud explosion close by. The force so great that it knocked the two off balance with Naegi colliding with Sonia knocking them both to the ground.

"Sonia-senpai! I'm sorry, I-," Naegi was soon cut off by a loud thud. A large piece of metal had fallen out of the sky. From her position, Sonia was able to see that had she and Naegi not fallen when they had, she would have been struck by it. It was incidents like this that convinced the young princess that she was correct in her assumptions, that Naegi was indeed the legendary hero.

"Darling, you saved me again! See, you really do possess the ability to sense danger!" Sonia practically cheered.

Naegi laughed nervously, he knew no matter what he said to the contrary Sonia would not believe it. Soon though, after getting to his feet and helping Sonia to hers, he asked, "What was that?"

Pointing in the direction the metal had come from Sonia said, "I believe it came from that direction."

"I hope no one was hurt," Naegi said as he started off in the direction Sonia had pointed.

"Yes, we must ensure that there were no casualties," Sonia said as she followed.

As the two got closer to the site of the explosion they heard another loud noise. This time it was two people yelling.

"Look at this! Look at this! I don't know how, I don't know when, but I know it was your stupid rats that did this!"

"Lies! The Twelve Zodiac Generals have not left my presence! The nature of our dark pact is such that-"

"Then what else could have done it!"

Both Naegi and Sonia recognized those voices as belonging to Souda Kazuichi and Tanaka Gundham. Souda looked furious. He was covered in oil and dust and was holding out what looked like wires. Tanaka looked better but seemed just as angry. The Generals, Tanaka's hamsters, were on his shoulders and head and were cowering, Naegi couldn't tell if it was because of the noise from the explosion or their master's and Souda's tones. Deciding that it was best to defuse the situation Naegi drew their attention.

"Tanaka-senpai! Souda-senpai!" he called.

"Ah, the Light-Born, how fare you?" Tanaka asked in greeting.

"Sonia-san!" Souda called out, his anger completely forgotten.

"What has happened here?" Sonia asked.

His anger returning, Souda said, "This asshole's rats chewed on these wires and caused my machine to blow up!"

"They did not!" Tanaka yelled.

"Souda-senpai, may I see those wires?" Naegi asked.

Souda grumbled but complied. Naegi had to admit that he was right, it did in fact look like something had chewed on the wires. _Without the coating the current must have jumped. So Souda-senpai was most likely right about that causing the explosion_ , Naegi thought. Still, something was bothering him. Turning to Tanaka, or rather his hamsters, Naegi gently asked, "Could all of you show me your teeth?"

The Twelve Zodiac Generals did as they were asked. Early on, the Generals had become quite fond of Naegi and listened to him almost as well as they listened to their real master, it certainly came in handy at times like this.

"Hmm, yeah I thought so, but I had to be sure. Souda-senpai, it's clear that something chewed on your wires, but these teeth marks are too small to have been caused by the Generals," Naegi said.

"What else could have done it?" Souda asked. He still wasn't convinced.

"I wish I could tell you Senpai. I think that we would probably notice if Hope's Peak had a problem with mice or rats," Naegi said, trying to think of an answer.

"Excuse me, but could you help me?" a new voice asked.

"Kimura-senpai, whatever is the matter?" Sonia asked the newcomer. Kimura Seiko was a short woman with purple eyes and a sickly complexion. She had a pale grey hair and a respirator mask covering her mouth.

"I'm sorry to bother you but some of my test animals have escaped. It seems that I forgot to lock their cages last night," Kimura explained.

"Impossible!" Tanaka exclaimed.

"Why is it impossible, Tanaka-senpai?" Naegi asked.

"Earlier this year a dark bargain was struck. Your familiars should be forever bound to your realm," Tanaka said to Kimura.

"Yes, earlier this year I requested Tanaka-kun's help in training my research animals so that they wouldn't run away, but…" Kimura began.

"If Tanaka-kun trained them to not leave your lab then they should not have left your lab," Sonia stated. She was right, animals trained by Tanaka Gundham always behaved the way they were trained, everyone knew that.

"The ones he trained are still there, but a month ago some of my hamsters gave birth. I thought I could hold off on requesting Tanaka-kun's help until they were older, but that seems to have been a mistake," Kimura said sadly. She didn't want to bother Tanaka again. She hated to be a bother at all, but it seems things were going to turn out that way no matter what.

"Souda-senpai, I believe we now know what chewed your wires," Naegi said.

Souda just growled.

"What's this about wires?" Kimura asked.

Naegi showed her the wires and said, "We aren't sure when this happened. Souda-senpai thought Tanaka-senpai's hamsters chewed them but now I think it might have been your baby research hamsters."

Kimura looked at the wires and sighed, "Yes, I've seen them chew enough things to recognize their teeth marks. I'm sorry for the trouble, Souda-kun."

"It's fine," Souda said, although he still seemed angry. Part of him had wanted Tanaka's hamsters to be what had chewed his machine's wires.

"Would you like us to help you look for your hamsters?" Naegi offered

"No, if this happened a while ago then they are probably long gone," Kimura said in resignation.

"If you're sure, Kimura-senpai, but I'll keep an eye out anyway," Naegi said.

"As will I," Sonia added.

"I as well," Tanaka said.

"Thank you, I'm going to look a little longer then head back," Kimura said as she left.

When Kimura was out of earshot, Souda yelled, "It's a conspiracy, you Lucky Students have it out for me!"

"Souda-senpai, it was all just coincidence," Naegi said in an attempt to defend himself. Naegi had often heard that Komaeda's bad luck always seemed to draw Souda in, but to Naegi's knowledge, his luck had never affected Souda one way or the other. Naegi supposed that this had more to do with the amount of time he and Sonia spent together than any perceived problems his luck had caused Souda.

"Do not yell at Naegi-kun!" Sonia ordered. The regal aura she gave off let everyone know she would not tolerate any arguments.

"I-er, yes Sonia-san," Souda said, dejected.

"It's fine, Sonia-senpai," Naegi said, trying to calm the princess down.

"It is most certainly not, you have done nothing wrong. I believe that Tanaka-kun is owed an apology as well," Sonia said, still irritated by Souda's behavior.

"Sorry," Souda said as quickly as he could. Apologizing to Tanaka was not something Souda really wanted to do, but if Sonia wanted it, he would do it. It would be the bare minimum, but he would do it.

"I suppose that is the best we can expect," Sonia said as she finally calmed down, disappointment clear in her voice. _It is not just that poor apology. I would have thought that after all that Naegi-kun has done for us, that Souda-kun would show him at least some respect,_ she thought.

This did not go unnoticed by Souda, who hung his head. _I liked it better when it was just the hamster-humping chuuni I had to deal with,_ Souda thought.

"As long as the Generals have been proven innocent then I will not visit my wrath upon anyone," Tanaka said. _It seems that I, the Overlord of Ice, am once again indebted to the Light-Born,_ he thought.

"That's very gracious of you Tanaka-senpai," Naegi said, not that he had expected anything else. He had gotten to know Tanaka and Souda pretty well in his time at Hope's Peak. _Now that I think about it, these two are part of the reason Sonia-senpai thinks I'm some kind of hero,_ Naegi thought.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm_

 _Eighth Week of Classes-Monday_

Breakfast time at the dorm seemed unusually quiet today. It was the morning after Sonia had told Naegi of Novoselic's history and she seemed distracted. This did not go unnoticed by the other girls or by Naegi as they all sat at the table. The first to speak up, however, was Mioda.

"Is Sonia-chan alright?" she asked.

That question brought Sonia back to reality as she said, "What? Oh, Mioda-san, yes, I am fine. I am just preoccupied."

"With what?" this time it was Yukizome who asked, concern for her student was clear in her voice.

"I received word last night that the Novoselic Embassy will officially open in two weeks. I am to attend the ceremony as the Princess of Novoselic," Sonia explained.

"That's great…I think," Nanami said.

"It is good news, it is simply that I have never attended such an event without another member of the royal family present," Sonia said.

"Is that bad?" Asahina asked.

"Not bad. However, in my entire time attending Hope's Peak Academy, that is all I have done, attend Hope's Peak Academy as a student. I have not met with the representatives of another nation in some time, I simply fear I am out of practice. I must push that feeling aside though, I will never be fit to be queen if I cannot even do this," Sonia said, sounding determined at the end.

"You'll be fine Senpai," Naegi said.

Sonia's cheeks turned red as she nodded.

Enoshima didn't miss this and decided to speak up, "It sounds like you don't want to go by yourself though. Why not take Naegi-kun? Aren't you two BFFs now? Plus, isn't he a nerd for Novoselic?"

Three glares were directed at Enoshima in response to her words. Ikusaba, Maizono, and Mioda were not happy. Ikusaba didn't know what her sister was planning, but the thought of Naegi spending too much time with another girl irritated her. It irritated Maizono and Mioda too, they may not have known Enoshima's true nature, but they were pretty sure she was having fun at their expense.

This was confirmed for them when Enoshima just folded her hands and made herself look as innocent as possible. It wasn't what she wanted, but it would do for now. After all, jealousy was just another path to despair.

"That is an excellent suggestion, Enoshima-san!" Sonia exclaimed. The others could swear they saw her eyes sparkling. The young princess turned to Naegi and asked, "Naegi-kun, will you join me at the ceremony?"

"If it will make you feel better Senpai, then of course," Naegi said with a smile.

"Excellent, afterwards we can tour the building. I will tell you all you want to know about Novoselic. It will be 'totes awesome!'" Sonia exclaimed, eyes still bright and sparkling.

Everyone else had had gone back to eating, but there were three people who did not think it was "totes awesome."

* * *

 _Later_

The mood in Class 77-B was rather subdued and the cause was not what anyone had expected. Mioda Ibuki, the ordinarily happy, peppy, Ultimate Musician, had come to class with a dark cloud over her head.

"Do Sensei and Naegi-kun need to put on another concert?" the Imposter asked, his voice heavy with concern.

Yukizome had heard the question and responded by saying, "No, this is… this is something else. She should be alright in a little while."

"Are you sure about that Sensei?" Nidai asked. No one could blame him for having doubts, even Mioda's horns were sagging. Her head was resting on her desk and she was tracing circles with her index finger while mumbling.

"Fuck it, I give up. what's wrong?" Kuzuryuu asked.

"Sonia-san needs to be at the opening of the Novoselic Embassy in two weeks and she asked Naegi-kun to go with her," Pekoyama answered.

"WHAT!" Souda shrieked.

"I told the girls and my 'biff' that I was worried about being the sole representative of Novoselic. Although Naegi-kun cannot join me for official business, simply knowing he will be there is reassuring," Sonia explained with a smile. She felt bad for Mioda, but she couldn't understand what Mioda was getting upset over. Naegi would be present as her friend, that was all. For the first time ever, the word "friend" left her with a bit of an empty feeling and she was not sure why.

"What's a 'biff?' Is that Novoselic for 'boyfriend?'" Souda asked in a whine, with tears streaming down his face.

"She means BFF, stupid virgin grease monkey," Saionji answered.

Yet another dark cloud had made its way into Class 77-B's homeroom as Souda hunched over in a corner. The knowledge that Sonia would be spending time with a boy who was not him and Saionji's insult had greatly upset him. The others occasionally heard things like, "Some guys have all the luck" and "The Lucky Students are against me, they have to be."

Yukizome, who had decided that it would probably just be better for them to get it out of their systems proceeded with the lesson. She was half right. Mioda perked up as the day went on, but Souda had not.

When the class was dismissed for lunch, Sonia stood up and said, "I cannot believe I forgot. I must check to see if Naegi-kun knows proper etiquette. Please excuse me everyone." With that she left the room in a hurry to look for Naegi.

That depressed Souda even more. Komaeda, who had been observing both Souda and Mioda, said, "Don't worry, Souda-kun. When you bounce back from this your hope will shine even brighter just like Mioda-san's."

That didn't cheer Souda up. In fact, it seemed as though he completely ignored Komaeda as he asked, "How do we know Sonia-san is safe with that kid? What if he tries something?"

"Impossible. He is Light-Born, there is nothing to fear," Tanaka said. A chorus of squeaks from the Zodiac Generals let the class know that they agreed with Tanaka's assessment of Naegi. Though their interactions had been limited, both Tanaka and the Zodiac Generals had taken an immediate liking to Naegi, Jum-P in particular seemed especially fond of him.

"Did your rats tell you that?" Souda asked with pure snark.

"How dare you!" Tanaka shouted back as his hamsters tried their best to look threatening and growl at their master's classmate.

"If you don't believe him then believe me. I'm from a yakuza clan, I've learned to read people over the years and I'm pretty damn good at it. That Naegi kid, he's good people. I've never met anyone that I believed to be less capable of dishonesty or ulterior motives in my life," Kuzuryuu said.

That was not what Souda wanted to hear, but he realized that he was not going to win this argument. He simply got up and stomped out of the room, grumbling about "Lucky little bastards."

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Main Building Hallway_

 _Eighth Week of Classes-Tuesday_

It was a good thing Sonia had checked if Naegi knew proper etiquette for state functions. While not completely clueless he still needed a bit of polishing before he would be ready. Naegi was actually grateful that Sonia had brought it up so that he, as he put it, "wouldn't embarrass her or make a complete fool of himself". Sonia assured him that he would be fine, that he was a fast learner. She did appreciate that he was taking this seriously.

They had agreed to meet up for lunch so that Sonia could instruct him further. Had she not been so focused on making her way to the cafeteria, she might have looked out the window and see a glint on a building in the distance.

There was someone who noticed though, Enoshima Junko was ahead of Sonia and she clearly saw light reflecting off of something in the distance. Her analytical abilities brought her to one conclusion: a sniper. Even if she hadn't been the Ultimate Analyst, she could have figured out their target: Princess Sonia Nevermind. Deciding the death of a senpai was just the type of despairful pick me up she would need, she decided to make the would-be assassin's job easier.

"Sonia-senpai, do you have a minute?" Enoshima asked after she turned around to face the young princess.

"Of course, Enoshima-san. How may I help you?" Sonia asked, suspecting nothing.

Each step Sonia took towards her only served to elate Enoshima further as she could practically feel the mysterious sniper get ready to make their shot.

Just when everything had seemed to be going Enoshima's way, it all came crashing down. Naegi had just appeared at the top of a set of stairs to make his way down for lunch and called out to the two girls, "Sonia-senpai! Enoshima-sa- Ahh!" Naegi had somehow managed to trip on thin air and fell down the stairs. Somehow one of his shoes had even managed to fall off.

Turning abruptly, Sonia called out to her friend, "Naegi-kun!" before proceeding to help him. This was fortunate for her, as the sniper had been anticipating and timing her movements and had taken the shot that had been aimed at where Sonia would have been standing had she not abruptly turned. The window had shattered and there was not a bullet embedded in the wall, but Sonia was still alive, much to Enoshima's displeasure. Failure, while a new and refreshing type of despair for her the first time, now only left her annoyed and disappointed. What had made it worse was that it was someone like Naegi who was causing it. Hope could not be permitted to overcome her despair. That could wait for now though, as she still had to keep up her act. To that end Enoshima let out a loud scream of terror at the scene before her.

Sonia and Naegi had also witnessed the window shatter. Naegi was shaken up but seemed unable to make any noise. Sonia, however, just had a serious look on her face. _I suppose it was only a matter of time_ , she thought as faculty and students began to arrive to see what all the commotion was about.

* * *

 _Later_

As the Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Kirigiri Jin had believed he had seen it all. Given the talents and personalities of some of his students, he could be forgiven for thinking that. Class 77-B alone had caused more than their fair share of incidents: from food spiked with aphrodisiac; to all manner of wild animals wandering the school, trained or not; to the regular destruction of school grounds by only two students; and one could not simply forget about the wonder of nature that was Komaeda Nagito's luck. Even though he knew he probably should have been prepared for it when Sonia Nevermind came to the school, he never expected matters that could impact the future of international relations to be discussed in his office. That is what was happening though, as Sonia was speaking with members of the Novoselic Diplomatic Mission. Though there was time before the official opening of the Embassy they still had to move in to what would serve as their residence for the foreseeable future. They had been contacted as soon as the Jin had learned of what had occurred and were now discussing with Sonia what would be done in response to the attempt on her life.

"Princess Sonia, we only have your well-being in mind," a tall, red-haired man said to Sonia.

"I realize that, but I believe that the Embassy must open as scheduled with me present," Sonia responded.

"I think the Japanese government will more than understand if there is a delay because of this. But we can talk about that later what about-," another man, a blonde, blue-eyed man of average height and build began.

"Do not suggest that I withdraw from Hope's Peak Academy. Novoselic will not be intimidated by such actions and neither will I," Sonia said with authority.

The third man, a black-haired, bearded man that somewhat resembled a bear, sighed and said, "If Princess Sonia feels that strongly about it then it can't be helped. We will move forward as planned. Charles, Stanley as soon as we get back we should inform the security team of the changes that need to be made."

The redhead, Charles, and the blonde, Stanley, had no choice but to relent and said, "Yes Sir, Ambassador."

"Headmaster Kirigiri, can we leave the safety of Princess Sonia to Hope's Peak Academy?" The Ambassador asked.

"You can, Ambassador Wudagest," Jin said. His tone let everyone know he understood the gravity of the situation.

"Excellent. By the way, I've been wondering for a while now, but who is this boy?" Ambassador Wudagest asked as he pointed to Naegi, who up to that point had remained still and silent off to the side of the room.

"My name is Naegi Makoto, Sir. It is a pleasure to meet such distinguished individuals," Naegi said as he bowed. Naegi's tone made it clear that the shock of what had occurred earlier coupled with the severity of the situation and meeting members of the Novoselic Diplomatic Mission had him scared and nervous.

"Naegi-kun is the Ultimate Lucky Student of Class 78. He is my friend and it is thanks to him that I am still alive. I have asked him to attend the opening ceremony as my guest," Sonia told the men.

"Is that so? Well then, on behalf of the people of Novoselic, I thank you Naegi Makoto," Wudagest said as he bowed.

"It was really just dumb luck that everything worked out," Naegi said as he waved his hands in front of him. Clearly, being thanked for being clumsy and having bad luck was a foreign concept to Naegi.

"Well, whatever it was, Princess Sonia is still alive, and she tells us we have you to thank for it," Wudagest said. Turning back to Jin, he said, "We'll be taking our leave Headmaster, we need to discuss finding this assailant with local law enforcement and with your government."

"Of course," was all Jin said.

"Alright, once we take care of that, it's back to the chancery to finish moving in," Wudagest said to the other two as he motioned for them to follow him out.

Once they were gone, Jin turned to Sonia and said, "Princess Sonia as the Headmaster, I realize I should not encourage my students to skip class, even if school policy permits it. However, because I am Headmaster, I must also do what is necessary to keep my students safe. I plan to speak to Yukizome-sensei and-,"

"That will not be necessary Headmaster, I intend to attend class as usual," Sonia said, cutting him off.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Jin asked.

"I am," Sonia said.

"Very well. You two should get back to your dorm. Be careful on the way back," Jin warned.

"Yes Sir," Naegi said.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Sonia said.

Once the two had left Jin's office and were on their way back to the dorm, Naegi asked, "How are you feeling, Sonia-senpai?"

"I feel fine, Naegi-kun. Why wouldn't I?" Sonia asked back.

"I just think everyone is shaken up by what happened. I can't blame them, I am too. I guess I'm just amazed that you're handling it so well," Naegi admitted.

"Do you think I am a cold woman?" Sonia asked, a very serious look on her face.

"No, Senpai, I think you are just far too used to situations like this. What I find amazing is that someone can get used to something like this," Naegi explained.

"You are right, I have gotten used to situations like this. This is not my first brush with death," Sonia said. Seeing Naegi's questioning gaze, she continued, "Though the royal family has governed for many years, coup d'etats and terrorism still occur in our land. I have even been abducted twice by insurgents in the past. Had I shown fear, it would have filled my people with despair. So that is why I waited in silence until rescue arrived."

"Senpai," Naegi said sadly.

"There is no need to feel sad for my sake Naegi-kun. I actually think this situation is easier, since I can honestly feel fear for a change," Sonia explained.

"Princess or not that isn't fair! For someone as kind as you to have these things happen and not be allowed to feel fear is too much! Someone like you doesn't deserve this kind of hardship!" Naegi shouted.

A sad smile made its way to Sonia's face as she said, "I appreciate that Naegi-kun, but I will endure it. I will endure it because I must. One cannot go against one's destiny."

"Destiny?" Naegi questioned.

"Yes, the lives of humans are shaped by destiny. Just because we make an effort to prevent danger, it does not mean we can defy destiny," Sonia explained.

Naegi didn't say anything to that. What could he say to that? Whether or not he believed in destiny, could it really be so cruel?

Sonia just continued, "Besides, my life belongs to my country and its people. If I were to die, it would be for no other reason than the sake of my country and my people. If I die, it would be meaningful to my country and my people. So, I do not fear death. The moment I was born into the royal family, I was destined not to die a meaningless death."

 _This is so wrong. It's wrong, but Sonia-senpai has just accepted it. No, surrendered to it might be more accurate. But she's able to endure it because it as long as it is for her people_ , Naegi thought. It was that last thought that made him say, "You...really are a princess."

That sad smile was still there as Sonia said, "Yes. Since the day I was born. When I am in my country, I am a princess before I am a person. And because of that...I was truly looking forward to this visit. I thought when I came to Japan I could be a regular girl, but in the end, no matter where I go, I am nothing but a princess."

Some slight movement caught Naegi's eye as she said that. Sonia's hands were shaking. _Of course she's afraid. It would be impossible not to be. It just that she's good at hiding it,_ Naegi thought. "When you're in your country, you're a princess before a person," Naegi repeated.

"Yes," Sonia confirmed with a nod.

"Then I guess it's a good thing that we aren't in your country," Naegi said.

Sonia tilted her head in confusion but said nothing, so Naegi continued.

"No one else at this school is a citizen of Novoselic. So, when it comes to me and everyone else at Hope's Peak, you're a classmate, a senpai, a kōhai, or a student. Like I said before, you'll always be Sonia-senpai to me. You're a regular girl first, so you don't need to try so hard," Naegi said.

Tears started to pool in the corners of Sonia's eyes, but there was gratitude in her voice as she said, "Naegi-kun…thank you."

Noticing that her hands were still shaking, Naegi reached out and grabbed them. When Sonia gave him a questioning look, he said, "It's a little chilly today, your hands looked cold." Naegi thought it was lame, but he figured it was the best way to support Sonia without stepping on her pride as a princess.

Sonia was confused. _What does he mean? The temperature is quite comfortable,_ she thought. Her confusion cleared up when she saw her hands. Even in Naegi's gentle grip they were shaking. Sonia's cheeks turned red as she thought, _He noticed that my hands were shaking, but he is pretending not to know why. He is trying to help while considering my feelings._ Sonia then shyly said, "Yes, I had not noticed until now. Thank you for warming them up."

They just stood there for a while until Sonia said, "I think I will be alright now."

Naegi let go and said, "Right, I'm sorry I didn't give you any warning." He scratched the back of his head, a sure sign that he was embarrassed.

"It is quite alright Naegi-kun. I do appreciate it _,_ " Sonia said, her cheeks still red. _From the very bottom of my heart, I really and truly do_ , she thought gratefully. Sonia then asked, "Naegi-kun, if I need it, would you warm my hands again?"

"Whenever you need it Sonia-senpai. That's what friends are for," Naegi said.

 _Yes, Naegi-kun is a friend. One I can confide in, one who understands, one who is very sweet._ Sonia's blush came back full force at that last thought. She didn't know why she thought that, even if she did believe it. She didn't know why the word "friend" felt so oppressive either. _Do I…? No, now is not the time to think of such things. But, whatever my feelings toward Naegi-kun may be, perhaps it is alright to indulge myself, even if it is just for today,_ Sonia thought. She shyly held out her hand and asked, "My one hand is still cold, could you warm it up on our way back to the dorm?"

Naegi, oblivious to Sonia's true reasons, just said, "I'd be happy to Sonia-senpai." _It's not much, but she's being a little more open with her feelings. I guess this is how Sonia-senpai is and I should respect it. I don't know if I can accept what Sonia-senpai said about destiny though. I can't just accept how cruel and unfair it is to her, but at the same time, I don't know what to do. Maybe even if the only thing I can do is hold her hand when she's scared, that's good enough for right now,_ Naegi thought as the two made their way back to the dorm.

* * *

 _Downtown-Near Hope's Peak Academy_

 _Eighth Week of Classes-Wednesday_

Souda Kazuichi was not having a good week. First, he finds out that Sonia had invited someone, another boy, to the opening of the Novoselic Embassy. That was a date in his eyes no matter what anyone else said. Then she runs off to spend time with that other boy, to "check if he knew proper etiquette." The next day, a sniper tries to shoot "his" Sonia, and just because that other boy tripped down the stairs at a convenient time, Sonia thinks that boy is a hero. And he didn't miss how close they were acting on the way back to their dorm, the little shit actually held Sonia's hand!

His class had noticed his irritation and asked about it. When he told them what he had seen Sonia and that kid, Naegi, doing he thought that they would finally come around. The response he got however ranged from: "He was probably just trying to comfort her, she did almost die," to "Well that was sweet of him, to try to comfort her like that," and finally, "This stalker-like behavior is why you're going to die alone." Even Mioda, who he had expected at least some jealousy from, had said, "Makoto-chan is like that with everybody. He probably just wants Sonia-chan to know he's there if she needs him." Although her eye did twitch when she said that.

It got worse when they had told Sonia what he had told them. She had said, "That is really between Naegi-kun and myself, but yes, that did happen. He was trying to help in his own way."

Souda couldn't understand it, what did some kid have that he didn't? As if Tanaka hadn't been enough of a problem. He'd dreamed of a beautiful blond girlfriend since he was a kid. Okay, so maybe he didn't know the first thing about Novoselic. And maybe he actually didn't like some of her personality traits or interests, the occult thing was creepy after all. That didn't mean that some kid who just happened to know a few things about Sonia's country could come in and try to sweep her off her feet like that. It was an act, it had to be, people like that Naegi kid just didn't exist in real life.

He had come downtown because he thought a run to various part stores would calm him down. It really didn't though, he'd found some things he could use to make something cool he guessed, but it wasn't enough to take his mind off of his problems.

"Excuse me, are you a student of Hope's Peak Academy?" A voice called to him.

"So what if I am?" Souda asked, his bad mood still very apparent.

"Yes, I thought I recognized you. You're one of Princess Sonia's classmates, correct?" The owner of the voice, a tall, official-looking man with brown hair and a bushy beard asked.

"Sure am, Souda Kazuichi, the Ultimate Mechanic!" Souda said, his mood having improved at the mention of Sonia. He had also assumed that this man was from Novoselic Embassy if he was using Sonia's title and thought that if he played his cards right, this man could talk him up to Sonia.

"Yes, I know. The King and Queen had us do background checks on all of Her Highness's classmates. Even as they rule Novoselic, they still find time to be such doting, devoted parents," the man explained. One could almost feel the admiration in his voice when he spoke of King and Queen Nevermind. As soon as he calmed down the man said, "My apologies Souda-kun, but the reason I stopped you is that I have a request."

"For the sake of deepening relations between our two countries, I will gladly help," Souda said. What he was thinking though, was slightly less noble, _Two can play at this game kid, I'll help this guy and Sonia-san will see how great I am._

"We seem to be having trouble with the sound system we will be using for the ceremony," the man stated.

"Let's go take a look at it then," Souda said.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, we were going to use it as an opportunity to show off Novoselic technology, but a key part has stopped working. There is simply no way to get word back to Novoselic and get it here on time. We were hoping that someone could recreate it from these blueprints," the man explained as he showed Souda the blueprints.

"Nice, I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before. Seems simple enough though," Souda said as he examined the blueprints.

"Then you'll do it?" the man asked.

"Sure, it may take some time, but you'll have it before the ceremony. Of course, I won't be able to test it," Souda told him.

"That won't be a problem, just bring on the day of the ceremony and we shall test it as we do a sound check. That way you can make adjustments, if necessary," the man said.

"Sounds good, I'll see you then," Souda said. _Sonia-san is going to see just how great I am after I save the ceremony. I wonder how she'll thank me,_ Souda thought happily.

"Yes, and Souda-kun if you could keep this a secret, we would really appreciate it," the man said as he handed Souda a card with the address and time that they would meet written on it.

"I guess I could do that," Souda said. That sounded a bit weird.

His concern was put to rest when the man said, "Like I said, we want to take the opportunity to show off a bit with this new sound system. It was designed and built in Novoselic, and we don't want anyone to know that we're having problems. It's simply a matter of national pride."

"Okay, that makes sense. I won't tell anyone," Souda said as he nodded in understanding. He grabbed the blueprints and his bags and then hurried off in the direction of Hope's Peak Academy. _This is my big chance, I can't mess this up,_ he thought.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Boys' Dorm_

 _Tenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

It was still early in the day, but Tanaka Gundham was just coming back to his dorm after ensuring that his "dark army" of animals were fed and properly groomed. Just because he was the "Overlord of Ice" didn't mean he had a heart of ice.

As he headed for his room, he saw Souda leave with something in hand. That wasn't unusual, it was Sunday, and everyone usually did their own thing today. Though for some reason, the Twelve Zodiac Generals seemed to want to follow him.

Tanaka would be lying if he had said that he wasn't curious about what Souda had been up to in the past week and a half. He and his classmates had honestly expected Souda to be either depressed or angry until the day after the Novoselic Embassy officially opened. That wouldn't necessarily guarantee that Sonia would be spending less time with Naegi, he was living at the Girls' Dorm after all, but the class figured, or rather hoped, Souda wouldn't dwell on that. Much to their surprise, on the Thursday after the attempt on Sonia's life, Souda had come to class looking rather pleased. When asked what had happened, all he had said was, "Just a job someone asked me to do." That made sense to the class, Souda enjoyed working with all things mechanical. They did think it was a little strange that he was being so secretive about it. After classes had ended, he would immediately head back to his room to work on whatever this "job" was, but other students had been approached with work and been bound by non-disclosure agreements before, so they didn't dwell on it too much.

Tanaka was more than willing to just ignore this but for some reason, the Twelve Zodiac Generals wanted him to follow Souda. That got Tanaka's attention. The Generals did not like Souda, a feeling the mechanic reciprocated. So them wanting to follow Souda was definitely out of the ordinary, and certainly worth looking into. Never one to disappoint his most loyal familiars, Tanaka complied.

It wasn't long before Souda got to his destination. The Novoselic Embassy was indeed rather close to Hope's Peak, even if it was in a rather secluded area. He hadn't noticed Tanaka following him, he was too focused on his objective. Going around back, as per the agreement, he soon came to the gate and saw the man he had met a week-and-a-half ago waiting for him.

"Ah Souda-kun, welcome! Just a moment, I'll let you in," the man said as he unlocked a smaller gate near the main entrance. "You'll have to forgive the lack of security personnel right now, any and all available personnel are preparing for the ceremony," the man apologized.

Souda may not have thought that was odd, but Tanaka did. And if the shaking from the Generals was anything to go by, this man was not a good person, possibly more dangerous that his demeanor was letting on.

Despite Tanaka Gundham's attempts to portray himself as a "Demon Lord" "Tanaka the Forbidden One" and "The Overlord of Ice", his kind nature always found a way to shine through, that was why animals loved him so much. Despite his personal feelings towards Souda, usually annoyance, he would never allow anything to happen to him. It was because of this, that he called out, "Comrade, that man is not what he appears to be! He-." Tanaka didn't get much farther than that after another shorter, bald, but rather intimidating looking man had come from behind and knocked him out.

Seeing that, Souda started to panic. He tried to yell, but his fear only allowed him to ask in a timid voice, "Tanaka? What the hell's going on?"

"So sorry Souda-kun. We do appreciate what you've done for us, but I'm afraid now you're a loose end, so for now, I need you to go to sleep" the man, the same one who had requested his services, said before knocking Souda unconscious as well.

"What now?" the bald man asked.

"Well, this lovesick fool managed to do what we needed. If only he hadn't been followed," said the other.

"You got in touch with him because he'd be easy to manipulate, there were bound to be some complications."

"Well, we have to take them with us now. Perhaps we can use them as leverage later," the bearded man said as he went to pick up Souda.

As the other man reached for Tanaka, he saw the Zodiac Generals attempt to protect their master and friend. "Oh, so this one brought guards," he mocked as he pulled out a handgun.

The Generals were not willing to abandon Tanaka to his fate, but they knew there was little they could do. So they scurried away hoping that they could find someone who would understand their plight.

"You aren't getting away," the bald man said as he took aim.

"Leave them," the other man said. "If you fire that you may draw attention to us. Plus, there's no point in wasting ammo on a bunch of hamsters, it's not like they can do anything."

* * *

 _Later_

It was a little bit before 2:30 in the afternoon as Naegi made his way to the Novoselic Embassy. Sonia had gone earlier to make sure that everything was going well and had sent transportation for him. He was grateful for that, as he didn't think he would feel comfortable walking there in formal clothes, even if it was close by. _I guess it is a good thing Kaa-san made me take these clothes to Hope's Peak too,_ he thought. Naegi was wearing a light grey suit with black dress shoes and a tie that was a similar green to his favorite hoodie. He hoped he wasn't underdressed, Sonia had approved of this outfit when he had asked, but when he saw what Sonia would be wearing it was hard not to feel underdressed. Maybe it was because she would be acting as Novoselic's Princess today and not his senpai.

With time to spare, he arrived at the Novoselic Embassy. _I wonder if that rule about being exactly thirteen minutes early applies for this,_ Naegi wondered. It was fine if it did, it the trip hadn't taken long. The ceremony was scheduled to take place at 3:00, this was so that it could be broadcast to Novoselic where it would be 8:00 in the morning. That seemed early to Naegi, but he thought that with the sniper still at large, maybe the security team wanted this done while no one could hide under the cover of night. _Ikusaba-san would know more about this than I would,_ Naegi thought as he stepped out of the car.

"Naegi-sama, I will be taking both you and Princess Sonia back to Hope's Peak Academy when the ceremony concludes," the driver said.

"Thank you, Sir," Naegi said as he bowed in thanks. _Not really comfortable being called Naegi-sama,_ Naegi thought, embarrassed. It was a good thing that he was outside the gate: reporters and camera crews had already gathered and were attempting to interview dignitaries from both Japan and Novoselic. Sonia was already standing in front of the Embassy entrance, and Naegi had to admit, she looked stunning in her golden dress and white crown. She spotted him and nodded with a smile, the most she could do considering the circumstances. He in return waved, his way of saying "I'm here if you need me!"

Naegi soon found out that Sonia wasn't the only one who noticed him as he felt something tugging on his pant leg. Twelve somethings in fact, as he looked down and saw Tanaka Gundham's hamsters. The poor things had been looking for help but had been unable to get close to Sonia. They had almost given up until they saw Naegi. Of course, Naegi had no way of knowing this, animals may have liked him, but he didn't have Tanaka's gift with them. He knew something was wrong though, Tanaka was nowhere in sight, and that set off alarm bells in his head. He knelt down and keeping his voice low so as not to draw more attention to himself asked, "What are all of you doing here? Is Tanaka-senpai in some kind of trouble?"

They all nodded, an action Naegi would have called cute if he hadn't been concerned. They then frantically pointed towards the Embassy.

"You want to go inside?" Naegi asked. He had no idea why or how Tanaka would be inside the Novoselic Embassy, but he trusted the Twelve Zodiac Generals. He knew how weird that would have sounded if he had said it out loud, but the fact remained that these hamsters were highly intelligent. He lowered his hands and said, "Alright, but you need to stay in my pockets or something until we can ask Sonia-senpai for a tour. I don't think pets of any kind are allowed here."

They all complied, the youngest eight going into his pants pockets and the eldest four: San-D, Jum-P, Maga-Z, and Cham-P, hid around his shirt collar. It was snug, mostly thanks to Cham-P, but there was no danger them choking him or of being spotted.

Over on Sonia's side of the crowd, she saw Naegi crouch down but didn't think much of it. Ambassador Wudagest soon came and stood beside her with two men she didn't recognize. One was tall with brown hair and a bushy beard, one was shorter and bald. "Where are Charles and Stanley?" she asked quietly.

"So sorry, Your Highness. Something came up that required their attention," Wudagest said.

Sonia nodded in understanding.

Back with Naegi, there was a bit of a problem. As soon as the two men with Ambassador Wudagest appeared the Zodiac Generals started to freak out. It didn't take Naegi long to figure out what this meant. "Those two took Tanaka-senpai." It was a statement, not a question, but the Generals confirmed it. As soon as they had, Naegi tried to get to Sonia. _If they took Tanaka-senpai, then Sonia-senpai is in danger too,_ he thought. He had no plan for when he got to her, but he knew that if Sonia saw the Generals she would know something was wrong. Thankfully, there was no shortage of security personnel if things turned violent, although Naegi being Naegi hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Sonia saw Naegi trying to approach and had a guard bring him closer. When he was in front of her, she asked, "Naegi-kun, whatever is the matter?"

"Sonia-senpai, those men with Ambassador Wudagest, they did something to Tanaka-senpai," Naegi said, trying to keep his voice down.

Unfortunately, the men had heard him. The bald man sighed and asked, "Now why would you say that young man?" The bearded man pulled out what looked like a remote of some kind and pushed a button.

A high-pitched whine filled the air, it was coming from the earpieces of the security personnel but was loud enough for everyone present to hear it. The Generals covered their ears and the guards dropped to their knees in pain.

The two men pulled out handguns. The bald man fired a shot and screamed at the crowd, "Put your hands behind your heads and get down on the ground!" Shots came from two windows to ensure that no one would doubt the severity of the situation. While the other said, "Hands behind your heads and get inside," as he ushered Naegi, Sonia, and the Ambassador inside at gun point. Once the bald man joined them inside, sturdy looking metal shutters lowered over the doors and windows. The Novoselic Embassy had become a fortress for terrorists.

* * *

As the three captives were led through the hallways, Sonia asked a question. "May I ask who you are affiliated with?"

One of the men, the bald one, said in a mocking tone, "You're the Princess, why not order us to tell you?"

The bearded man said, "Please forgive Niels, he's not quite right in the head. I'm Vadim from Borginia, my associate is from Fortuna."

"Why would terrorists from Fortuna and Borginia work together? Even if what you are planning worked, you could not possibly install both of your leaders as rulers of Novoselic." Sonia said, confused.

The bald man, Niels, started laughing and asked, "Who wants to tell her?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple Princess," Vadim said.

When Sonia didn't say anything, Niels said, "Stupid girl, not everyone from our countries who comes after you is loyal to some dead royals."

"We and our associates aren't affiliated with any terrorist groups, we are, we'll say freelancers," Vadim explained.

"I'm sorry, Princess Sonia," Ambassador Wudagest said as they entered what appeared to be a conference room. Sonia opened her mouth to reassure him but stopped when she realized something: he had never put his hands behind his head. Everything clicked when Wudagest said, "I'm sorry, but the question and answer session is over." Once he finished saying that, he turned and had pulled out a handgun of his own.

"Ambassador, you have always been loyal to Novoselic," Sonia said, shocked.

"I am loyal to Novoselic, this is all for its future," Wudagest said. He turned to Niels and said, "Put the boy with the others. I'm sure you two have much to discuss since he ruined your perfect record."

"This little bastard is the reason I missed my shot two weeks ago? Perfect," Niels said as he grabbed a larger gun from the corner of the room.

"You can't kill him Niels, we need him and the others to negotiate passage out of Japan," Vadim said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah, yeah. C'mon you," Niels said as he ushered Naegi down another hallway. Naegi looked back to see Vadim cover Sonia's mouth with duct tape before proceeding to tie her up.

* * *

As Niels led him through the hallways, Naegi remained silent. His friend was in danger and he didn't know how to help. Niels must have sensed Naegi's distress because he took the opportunity to gloat.

"I never imagined that I'd actually get to meet you, shame I can't make you pay for tarnishing my perfect kill record just yet," he said.

"What's all this about anyway? Why bring in mercenaries from Borginia and Fortuna?" Naegi asked, finding his voice. Naegi had no experience with these matters, but a group, he assumed, of Novoselic dissidents bringing in foreign mercenaries just seemed to serve to overcomplicate things.

"Well, I suppose it's all a matter of what our employer wants. If Wudagest to reveal himself for what he is, then we are simply highly paid mercenaries. If he feels the time is not right, we're blinds. Think about it, if Novoselic and Japan were to learn that there are Borginians and Fortunians in here, what would they think?" Niels asked.

"That terror groups from those two countries had planned this would most likely be their first guess," Naegi said.

"It's a simple plan, granted some of the agents in Novoselic would need to fall on the sword for that to work. There are files to fake; information to doctor; and of course, someone needs to be blamed for no one noticing any of this. But I tell you kid, nothing could cover our tracks better than the chaos it would cause," Niels said happily. Vadim was right, Niels was not right in the head.

"Still, I wanted to shoot the girl and be done with it. Then we could fake a message from foreign terror groups or our employer could announce their intentions if they believed that they were in the right position. I don't think it's the best way to conduct this type of business, but they pay was excellent so whatever," Niels said. Arriving at a door, he opened it with his free hand and motioned for Naegi to go through.

"Is this the basement?" Naegi asked, seeing stairs leading into total darkness.

"Yeah, hope you aren't afraid of the dark kid. Don't worry if you are though, there are plenty of people down there to keep you company," Niels said as he made to forcefully shove Naegi down the stairs.

Instead, Naegi had taken the first step on his own and had once again managed to trip on thin air. Thinking of the hamsters with him, Naegi had managed to remain collected enough to attempt to grab the railing and stop himself. _I knew I'd get it right one of these days,_ Naegi thought, relieved. He then felt something go over him.

It seems that Niels had put a great deal of strength behind that shove as he fell forward and tripped over Naegi and fell head first down into the basement. He had managed to lose his grip on his gun, which Naegi had picked up before going to turn on the lights. _I have no idea how to use this, but he doesn't need to know that,_ Naegi thought as he made to point the gun at Niels.

He needn't have bothered, Niels lay in a heap at the bottom of the stairs with a large gash in his head and bruises on the visible parts of his body. He made his way down the stairs, careful not to take his eyes off of Niels. Out of the corner of his eye though he saw four people as did the Generals. The hamsters made their way over to the four, rejoicing at the fact that one was their master. Four hamsters each untied three people, one of whom came over to Naegi and said, "I believe he is unconscious Naegi-kun."

"Charles-san?" Naegi questioned, not sure who he could trust right now.

"It's fine Naegi-kun, both Charles and I are not with these terrorists," Stanley said as he untied and ungagged Souda, under the disapproving gaze of the Generals.

"What's going on? Are we gonna die?" Souda asked in a panic.

"Souda-senpai, I didn't expect you to be here," Naegi said in surprise.

"Let's restrain this man and then we can get each other caught up," Charles suggested.

After Niels had been relieved of his handgun and restrained, the group huddled in the middle of the basement to compare notes. It didn't take them long to exchange information: Vadim approaching Souda; Tanaka following Souda and their capture; Charles and Stanley discovery of some strange mechanism in the security room; Souda's realization that what he was working on had been part of what was used to cripple security and put Sonia's life in danger; and finally, what Wudagest had said.

"The man is insane! Novoselic has no future without Princess Sonia!" Stanley said.

Naegi didn't disagree but he more than that, to him at least, Sonia-senpai was a friend. Before Naegi did anything else though, he needed to know something. He noticed that someone had been rather silent, and it was rather unsettling. "What's wrong with Tanaka-senpai?" he asked. Tanaka hadn't just been silent, he had not even blinked once since the Generals had untied him.

"They pulled handguns and parts for that gun and others like it out of a bunch of stuffed animals down here and assembled them in front of us," Souda said, who still looked ready to freak out.

Naegi turned and saw a bunch of animals that he had never seen before, makangos and skongs he guessed, in a heap in the corner of the basement. _Taxidermy,_ Naegi thought. That made sense, for someone who loved animals as much as Tanaka Gundham, taxidermy was probably one of, if not the most evil thing in the world to him. _Sonia-senpai was right. This time at least, the treatment of makangos and skongs is definitely against the spirit of animal conservation,_ he thought.

Naegi shook his head, they all had something more important to focus on. "We need to save Sonia-senpai," Naegi said simply as he turned back to face the others.

"Are you nuts! They have guns! And we don't know how many other guys are out there! And I didn't want this! I just wanted to impress Sonia-san! I just wanted a hot, blonde girlfriend!" Souda shouted in a panic before he broke down into a sobbing mess.

"I want to save Princess Sonia too, Naegi-kun, but this boy is right, we are at a disadvantage," Charles said.

"I would feel better about our chances if we could at least acquire another Khvostov," Stanley said as he pointed at the large gun Niels had dropped before his fall.

"Well, this is a reckless and rather cliched idea, but my friends and I may be able to get another," Naegi said, trying to put on a brave face.

Both Charles and Stanley looked at Souda and Tanaka before Charles said, "I don't see how your friends will be much help here, Naegi-kun."

"I meant my other friends, Charles-san," Naegi said as he started to tell the two men what he had planned.

* * *

"This is why I hate Fortunians," Vadim said to himself as he made his way towards the basement. Niels had been given more than enough time to do put Naegi with the other Hope's Peak students. They allowed for extra time for him to make threats; scare Naegi with his Khvostov rifle; or whatever else it was he may have wanted to do. So when he didn't come back after all this time, of course, Vadim had to go looking for him.

"Squeak!"

"What the-?" Vadim asked as he looked ahead and saw two very familiar hamsters at the end of the hallway. They squeezed through a crack in a door that had been left ajar and disappeared from sight.

"Is Niels chasing these stupid things? I'm impressed they got in but still…," he started to say. He thought about what this could mean, chastised himself for being paranoid, but still proceeded to check the room. He opened the door and said, "Someone's seen too many movies. Was I supposed to come in and have you knock me out?" He then fired a few shots into the room before turning on the lights. Empty. There was no one in the room, not even a sign of the two hamsters. Then the world went dark for the Borginian mercenary.

"Something like that, yes," Charles said as he lowered the fire extinguisher he had used to strike Vadim over the head with. The two hamsters came out from their hiding place behind the door and climbed onto the hand Naegi had put out for them.

"You two were very brave," Naegi praised. He had not been aware that hamsters could blush until that moment.

Stanley came out of the room that they had been hiding in with some of the ropes that had restrained him and the others earlier and after securing Vadim's weapons, proceeded to tie him up.

"I can't believe that actually worked," Naegi said as he and the others were joined by Souda and a somewhat recovered Tanaka.

"But it did, and we are now in a better position," Charles said.

"Can you two handle these?" Naegi asked as he pointed towards the rifles.

"It's a little late to be asking that question, but of course. Young children in Novoselic take classes on warfare. If our six-year-olds can drive tanks, we can handle these rifles," Stanley said.

"Alright then, I know that we're at a disadvantage but all of you need to get to the security control room. We've been in here long enough, I'm sure that law enforcement has managed to get or will soon get permission to enter the embassy from Novoselic, so you need to make sure that they can get in. If Vadim was the one who came looking for Niels, then maybe something is up with the security cameras. Hopefully, you'll have the element of surprise on your side," Naegi said.

"What about you Naegi-kun?" Charles asked.

"I want to try and get Sonia-senpai away from Wudagest," Naegi said.

"How come we have to go up against the mercenaries while you get to go play hero?" Souda asked.

"Charles-san and Stanley-san are going with you and have those rifles while you two can use the handguns. I'm going to be completely unarmed," Naegi declared.

"Oh. Well, good luck with that," Souda said, realizing just how good he had it by comparison.

"Naegi-kun, be reasonable. At least come with us until we can get you a weapon," Stanley pleaded.

"I appreciate the concern Stanley-san, and that's definitely better than my suicidal plan, but we don't know what Wudagest plans to do. Every second may count," Naegi said.

The two men from Novoselic saw Naegi shaking, but they also saw the resolve in his eyes. Charles sighed and said, "Very well, you haven't steered us wrong so far. Perhaps your Ultimate Luck will keep you safe.

 _There's a first time for everything I suppose,_ Naegi thought. He felt tug on his pant leg again and looked down to see San-D, Jum-P, Maga-Z, and Cham-P looking at him expectantly. "Is something wrong?" Naegi asked.

"Light-born, my greatest servants, the Four Dark Devas of Destruction, wish to lend you their aid," Tanaka said, finally back to normal, for him at least.

"I appreciate that but there's a good chance none of us are getting out alive. That said, I think they have a better chance of survival with the rest of you," Naegi said. He was grateful, but he didn't want to put anyone, man or hamster, in any danger.

"They are well aware of the risks, I could not dissuade them. Perhaps your light and their dark power will make a miracle happen," Tanaka said. Naegi almost missed it, but he could hear the worry in Tanaka's voice.

"I'll make sure they stay alive Senpai," Naegi said, trying to put Tanaka at ease.

"All of us will stay alive, such is the will of the Overlord of Ice," Tanaka said.

"If we're going to do this, we need to start," Stanley said, bringing focus back to the situation at hand.

"Right, good luck you guys," Naegi said as he and the Devas headed for the Conference Room.

"You too, Naegi Makoto," Charles said as he and his group headed for their destination.

* * *

Back in the Conference Room, Wudagest was waiting for Vadim to return with Niels.

"Where are those two?" he asked. He knew he wouldn't get an answer, the only other person in the room was bound and gagged. All Sonia could do was glare, and it looked wrong on the ordinarily kind princess's face.

"There were those shots earlier, but I assumed that Niels wanted one last bit of fun with that boy you invited. I need them present before negotiations can start," Wudagest said, continuing their one-sided conversation.

Sonia still kept glaring at him.

"Don't look at me like that Princess Sonia. What I do, I do for the good of Novoselic. If it means staining my hands with evil now, then so be it," Wudagest said.

Naegi, who was outside the door, listened and waited for his chance. The security system's controls were on the opposite end of the building. He would wait and listen for gun shots in the distance before he put his plan into action. Thankfully he didn't have to wait long as he heard the sound of gun fire coming from the other end of the building.

"What was that?" Wudagest said as he threw open a door on the opposite side of the room and looked in the direction of the noise. He stepped outside only to have the door close and lock behind him. "What?!" he yelled in confusion before attempting to force the door open.

Naegi couldn't believe his good fortune, he guessed Wudagest had been feeling overconfident. _Or maybe he just never expected someone to do something this dumb,_ Naegi thought. Whatever the reason, he was grateful, for that and sturdy oak doors that locked from the inside.

The Devas had managed to untie Sonia, who then removed the duct tape covering her mouth. "Naegi-kun? What's going on? Why are Tanaka-kun's hamsters with you?" she asked.

"I'll explain later, right now we need to run until help gets here," Naegi said as he picked up the Devas and grabbed Sonia's hand before running out towards the entrance. He was glad that the Conference Room seemed to be in the center of the building, he hoped that Wudagest would at lose time following them as he picked between the he hallway they were in and the hallway Naegi had come from. Just to be safe though, he handed the Devas to Sonia and got behind her so that Wudagest wouldn't have a clear shot at her.

They got to the foyer only to find that they were still trapped, not that Naegi expected any different. "Where to go?" he asked as he, Sonia and even the Devas weighed their options. Did they hide behind the desk or keep running?

Just then, Naegi felt something. He wasn't sure how, perhaps spending time with Ikusaba, someone who was skilled at hiding her presence, had sharpened his senses, but he knew something was wrong. He also knew that he wasn't the one in the most danger. That feeling turned out to be justified because a shot rang out. Naegi pushed Sonia out of the path of the bullet and behind the large desk and out of the line of sight. The bullet still hit something though as Naegi felt searing hot pain shoot through his left shoulder. _Better my shoulder than Sonia-senpai's heart though,_ Naegi thought as he clutched his shoulder in pain before falling to his knees.

"This thing has good range," Wudagest said as he entered the foyer, his eyes on the gun in his hand. Turning his attention to Naegi, he asked, "Tell me boy, where is Princess Sonia?"

"She's not here, she ran down another hallway," Naegi said through gritted teeth. He hoped that the pain he was in would cover for any vocal tells he might have had when he lied.

"I can't tell whether you're brave or stupid, but I have to admit, boy, you've caused me a great deal of trouble. I had hoped to use you and the others to secure passage out of Japan, but it seems all I can do now is kill the girl and be done with it. Shame, I was hoping to see the future Novoselic our leader dreamed of become reality," Wudagest said.

"If you're acting out of concern for Novoselic's future, why do you want to kill Sonia-senpai?" Naegi asked. His only hope now was to keep Wudagest talking. He hoped he could stall long enough.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, boy. While the rest of the world has changed, Novoselic has refused to see a simple truth. A nation with something as corruptible as a monarchy simply can't work," Wudagest said.

"I don't understand, not at all. Sonia-senpai is always thinking of Novoselic's future. She told me of changes she wants to make; of how important she believes it is to understand other points of view-," Naegi began.

He never got to finish as Wudagest began raving, "Do you not realize how much of a danger House Nevermind can be? Sonia Nevermind can say she 'wants to understand,' but that's a bold-faced lie dressed up in pretty words. She and any other member of the royal family can tout that meaningless message all they want, but it won't change how Alexander Nevermind was anything but understanding centuries ago. If someone from House Nevermind wasn't understanding back then, what's to stop his brother Albert's descendants from acting like that in the future? Albert shared Alexander's blood, didn't he? What if there was nothing to stop them from picking up their own dangerous, radical ideals!? What happens then? Who takes the blame for that!? There is no excuse not to know just how hazardous an absolute monarchy is. House Nevermind's authority is not restricted by any written laws, legislature, or customs. Even knowing that, the people of Novoselic follow House Nevermind like sheep. That is why I will carry out our leader's will and put a stop to that threat. It is our mission! Our true calling to protect Novoselic and the world and in doing so ensure true peace for all!"

 _He's not lying,_ Sonia thought, shocked, _h_ e _truly believes that what he is doing is the right thing. Is there a way to stop someone so driven? Do I even have a right to try?_

"Ambassador Wudagest, I will admit that there is always that possibility, but that's all it is a possibility. You can't know what will happen in the future and neither can I. Just saying, 'It happened before so it will happen again at some point,' is a fallacy and I think you know it," Naegi countered.

"Don't try to delude me boy. You aren't from Novoselic. You've never lived under an absolute monarchy, so you can't understand," Wudagest said. It was clear he was losing his patience with Naegi.

"If you're being deluded, it's your leader doing it, not me. How can you and your leader claim to do anything out of love for Novoselic when you can't even have faith in its people? The royal family isn't the problem. Your leader just can't believe in anyone but themselves. But Sonia-senpai believes. That's the difference between your leader and Sonia-senpai. Even though she knows the road ahead is hard she'll never give up faith in her people. And after spending so much time with her, I now know that's the greatest pride a ruler can have," Naegi said. _A little more, just need to keep Sonia-senpai safe for a little while longer,_ he kept repeating in his head.

Any doubts Wudagest caused Sonia to have had been swept away completely by Naegi's absolute faith in her. _Naegi-kun, thank you_ , she thought with tears in her eyes.

"You, you. STOP TRYING TO DELUDE ME, BOY!" Wudagest screamed as he took aim at Naegi.

"STOP!" Sonia screamed as she came out of hiding, drawing Wudagest's attention. Her timing couldn't have been better as the metal shutters were raised and a blur rushed in, grabbed Wudagest and held a knife to his throat.

"Hey Ikusaba-san, you saved us," Naegi said as he recognized the blur.

"You're hurt," she said as tightened her grip on Wudagest.

"Get off of me girl, I'm still the Ambassador. An attack against me is an attack against Novoselic," Wudagest said. Naegi's words and his failures must have shaken him more than he realized, because he forgot one important thing about his diplomatic immunity.

"Ambassador Wudagest, as Princess of Novoselic I hereby relieve you of your status as ambassador," Sonia said.

Now knowing he'd been beat but refusing to go quietly, Wudagest took aim at Naegi again before pain shot through him. Enoshima Junko had somehow snuck in and planted one of her high-heeled boots right between Wudagest's legs. She mouthed the words, "Only _I_ get to kill him," before stepping back.

"I appreciate the save, Enoshima-san, but even I feel bad for him now," Naegi said as he saw Wudagest collapse.

"I could shoot you if it would make you feel better," she suggested.

"No thank you, just my shoulder is enough for today," Naegi said as police and members of the Embassy's security team came into the building. An EMT who had also come in, helped Naegi to his feet. Naegi turned to the EMT and said, "The police and security need to find Souda-kun, Tanaka-kun, Charles-san, Stanley-san, and the other Generals. They should in the security control room. They can lead them to the other terrorists."

"We'll take care of it young man, don't worry," a member of the security team who had heard Naegi said.

"This boy and the others took back the Embassy in a few hours that's pretty amazing," Naegi heard an officer say. Naegi looked outside and sure enough the sun was setting. _Time sure flies when you're life is in danger,_ he thought.

"I'm sorry young man, but you named four people and then said something about generals?" another member of security questioned.

"They're eight hamsters that look like these four," Sonia said as she held up the Dark Devas of Destruction.

"We'll check on them too," another police officer said, not really sure what else to say to that.

As Naegi and the girls were led out of the building towards the nearby emergency vehicles they saw their friends waiting for them.

"Makoto-chan! Sonia-chan!" Mioda shouted as she waved to get their attention. She, Yukizome, Class 77-B, and Class 78 had gathered behind a police barricade.

"Hey everyone," Naegi said. "I'd wave but it hurts to move my arm."

"What happened?" Maizono asked. She saw Naegi's shoulder and lost some of the color in her face as did some of the other students.

"The Former Ambassador attempted to shoot me, Naegi-kun knocked me out of the way," Sonia explained.

"The boy is a hero," a familiar voice said. They all turned to see Charles and the others accompanied by police and EMTs. The Novoselic officials appeared to have been grazed in a few places, but they had fared better than Naegi. Tanaka and Souda looked shaken up, but otherwise fine.

"Charles! Stanley!" Sonia exclaimed happily.

"Souda-senpai, Tanaka-senpai, are the Generals alright too?" Naegi asked.

Eight little hamster heads popped up out of Tanaka's scarf in answer to Naegi's question. Sonia handed the Devas off to Tanaka and the Twelve Zodiac Generals were once again complete.

"We were fortunate that our adversaries were distracted by problems with the surveillance cameras," Stanley said.

Naegi saw Fujisaki sigh in relief and asked, "Do we have you to thank for that, Fujisaki-kun?"

"The ceremony was being broadcast live, so Ikusaba-san came to me right after you and Sonia-senpai were taken into the building. She asked me if there was anything I could do to get you out," Fujisaki told him as he pointed towards a laptop he had with him. The smaller boy then looked down and said, "I wish I could have done more, but all I was able to do was stop surveillance before they noticed."

"You did plenty young man, they had three people trying to counter you. It was all they could do to keep the building on lockdown," Charles reassured the small boy.

"Young man, we need to take a look at that shoulder," the EMT who had been escorting Naegi reminded him.

"The rest of you should get checked out too," one of the police officers with the other former hostages said.

"If you can remove the bullet from Naegi-kun's shoulder, I have something that will take care of the rest," a new voice said. The owner of the voice was a girl slightly older than the students present. She had pale grey hair and sickly complexion.

It seemed that many of the medical personnel recognized the girl as many of their faces lit up in recognition and one said, "Kimura-san. You're lucky, young man. We'll still need to take you to the hospital, but the medicines made by the Ultimate Pharmacist will heal that shoulder up in seconds."

"Alright, now we just need to check the rest of you. With any luck, you won't even need to come to the hospital," another EMT said before they and four others checked the former hostages for serious injuries.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Later That Evening_

It was late evening at the dorm and four girls were still waiting for Naegi to come back. Tsumiki had said she was going to wait for him at the front gate. She trusted Kimura's abilities, but as a nurse she felt it was her duty to check Naegi's shoulder for any problems. So that left Sonia with Ikusaba, Maizono, and Mioda. Sonia told the others what had happened: about Wudagest's betrayal; his motivations; and what Naegi had said in response. For the longest time after that, no one said anything. Sonia seemed to be deep in thought, something that didn't go unnoticed by the others. Mioda, who by this point had had enough of the silence, decided to speak up.

"Sonia-chan are you okay?" she asked.

"I am quite alright, Mioda-san," Sonia said, finally looking up.

"Are you thinking about what happened?" Maizono asked.

"In a way. I have come to a realization," Sonia said.

"And that is?" Ikusaba asked.

"I finally realized just who Naegi-kun is. I had my suspicions, but I am now convinced that Naegi-kun is legendary hero spoken of in my country!" Sonia exclaimed.

"Say what?" Mioda asked, confused.

"The legend goes like this: The hero wears a white shirt and possesses an antenna that can sense danger. With a face lacking distinguishing characteristics, he shall bring light to the tropical land," Sonia explained.

"Are you serious?" Ikusaba asked, incredulous.

"There is no mistake. This legend must be speaking of Naegi-kun! His hair looks like an antenna and he can sense danger. Just think of how often he has saved me! I had my doubts because of his cute face and his hoodie covered his white shirt, but now I am sure," Sonia explained.

"She is serious," Maizono said.

"According to the legend, the hero will stand alongside the princess and freely swing the Golden Makango," Sonia continued. If she heard the other girls, she had stopped paying attention.

"I think Makoto-chan said makangos are animals," Mioda told the others.

"That sounds awful," Maizono said, thinking of the poor makango.

"And then, the legend says they will establish something resembling order and prosperity to the kingdom!" Sonia finished.

"Wait, not actual order and prosperity? Just a resemblance?" Ikusaba asked. She knew from experience that it didn't take a legendary hero to create the appearance of order and prosperity.

"After all this time…Naegi-kun was my destined one. He must come with me to the Novoselic Kingdom! And then, when the time comes, we shall capture the Golden Makango!" Sonia said with stars in her eyes.

"H-hold on, Sonia-chan," Mioda said.

"Then, and only then will he be formally acknowledged as the legendary hero and be able to rule the Novoselic alongside me," Sonia continued, ignoring her classmate.

"Senpai," Maizono growled out, not really enthusiastic about another rival.

"However, he might need to study a bit more before he can become my husband and the King of Novoselic. He will need to know 30 foreign languages, economics, international law, diagnostic medicine…" Sonia said as she listed what Naegi would need to learn.

"Sonia-senpai, maybe you have it wrong," Ikusaba said, trying to dissuade the young princess from pursuing Naegi.

"Yeah, Makoto-chan hasn't brought any light to any tropical lands," Mioda added.

"I understand what you are all trying to say. I am not oblivious to how you all feel about Naegi-kun," Sonia said.

If Sonia had said that to put them at ease, it didn't work. The other three girls were now bracing themselves for what was coming next.

"I believe that it would put my people at ease if the bloodline of the legendary hero were to continue. So, when I am his lawful wife, you three can be his mistresses," Sonia said. If she hadn't looked so serious when she said it, the other three would have thought she was making fun of them. But since Sonia was serious, the three girls gave her an answer that was just as serious.

"NO!" all three of them yelled at the same time.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

Naegi had arrived back at Hope's Peak a little while ago and met up with Tsumiki. The Ultimate Nurse had looked at his shoulder as soon as she saw him. She hadn't noticed anything wrong, but Naegi had told her that it was still sensitive. She said that she would be more than happy to take a look at it if the problem persisted. After he had thanked her, the two of them made their way back to the dorm.

The had just been about to open the door when they heard three voices scream, "NO!"

Naegi who had been frozen in place by that screams just thought, _I wonder if I should be worried about that?_

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _I never did find out what that screaming was about,_ Naegi thought. He had been afraid to ask when he had entered. The next day everything had pretty much gone back to normal, the only difference was that Sonia was now tutoring him in foreign languages, economics, international law, diagnostic medicine, and a number of other subjects. He didn't mind too much, he wasn't afraid of self-improvement. He wasn't sure he could handle it, but Sonia had said, "I have absolute faith in the one who has absolute faith in me."

There was one thing that Naegi couldn't help but be curious about though. "Sonia-senpai, did your government find out anything about this 'leader' Wudagest mentioned?" he asked.

"I am afraid not. Whoever they are, they and their people have been quiet since the events at the Embassy," Sonia said.

"Well, they can't hide forever," Naegi said trying to remain positive.

"Yes, with the help of the legendary hero we will find them," Sonia said, the sparkles back in her eyes.

"Hey, we helped too," Souda whined.

"Oh, that reminds me, Tanaka-kun, will you be able to come to Novoselic over break? I have heard that the twelve hamster-sized medals I requested should be done by then," Sonia informed the breeder, while completely ignoring the mechanic.

"The world must know of the greatness of the Twelve Zodiac Generals, no force on earth or demon in Hell could stop us," Tanaka replied.

"Isn't that great you guys? You'll be recognized as heroes," Naegi said to the Generals. In response, the hamsters puffed out their chests in pride.

Souda, upset at being ignored, just pouted off to the side. Naegi was going to try to cheer him up before a loud crash interrupted him.

"What was that?" he asked.

"It came from that direction," Sonia said as she pointed towards the large P.E. building. Some trees and shrubs were obstructing the view, so no one could see what it was that had made the noise.

"I'll go check it out. We'll talk later okay Senpai?" Naegi asked Sonia.

"Do what you believe is best Naegi-kun, that is what a ruler must do," Sonia said.

Naegi thought that bit at the end was odd but just said, "Thanks Senpai, I'll see you later." With that he ran off towards the noise.

"He's trying to make the rest of us look bad, I know he is," Souda said.

Tanaka just gave him a look that said he didn't need help with that.

* * *

 _Okay, now where did that noise come from,_ Naegi thought as he looked around. He heard something that sounded like a stomping noise and turned towards that. His view was obstructed by bushes though, so he was unable to avoid what happened next.

Something soft and then hard collided with his face and knocked him flat on his back. He had shut his eyes from the impact, but he didn't need to see to know what had hit him.

 _Hands where she can see them, keep your eyes shut. She may not care, but you will not take advantage of that,_ he told himself. After a mental sigh, he thought _, Owari-senpai and I really need to stop meeting like this._

* * *

 **And done! Whew, that chapter was kind of all over the place in the second half wasn't it?**

 **That brief history of Novoselic is mine as far as I know. Borginia and Fortuna belong to Capcom though. I didn't think I did too badly with it, but what do you guys think. My biggest concern with it was "Am I trying to be too clever?" Even though I think the Danganronpa fandom is one of the smartest out there, that was a very real concern of mine.**

 **Don't give me that look, that offer Sonia made the other girls totally sounds like something a naive princess might suggest. Okay, maybe not but it was too funny not to use. Just like that thing with Junko and Wudagest.**

 **Did you all know hamsters could growl? I didn't until I started doing research for this chapter.**

 **I would like to thank Putain de Plagieur once again for helping me with this chapter. You're the best, Pupla!**

 **I also have to thank Jibster and jean010. Jibster for the idea with Tanaka's hamsters, I got the idea for Jum-P being attached to Naegi from "Royal Touches." And I would like to thank jean010 for how Junko has been portrayed in "Be More Proactive This Time Luckster," specifically, how possessive she is of Naegi. I need to thank Pupla for one more thing. That part where Junko kicks Wudagest, her line was inspired by jean010's portrayal of her, but I was tempted to give her this chapter off until Pupla made me think better of it. So special thanks to all of you.**

 **I hope Souda's fans aren't too upset with me. I didn't mean to make him look too bad, but whether you call it being a Zoidberg or a butt monkey that's pretty much what his character is. He's kind of like Hagakure from the first game in that respect I guess.**

 **Did I make Naegi too knowledgeable? I don't think I did. Given that his classmates would quiz him in their free time events I can only conclude that he: a) Is a must have for team trivia, or b) studied anything related to his classmates' talents prior to attending Hope's Peak. It could be the first, but I feel better about the second. I mean he's smart, but I wonder if I overdid it. I think I might have made him too brave, but then again he did go after Munakata when he was on a murderous rampage.**

 **You guys probably figured it out already but in case you aren't sure:**

 **Dosinmatter-Doesn't matter**

 **Cudhaben-Could have been, Could happen (I still haven't made up my mind on that one)**

 **Wudagest- Would have guessed**

 **I figured I needed surnames that fit with Nevermind, but I think this is a sign that I like Ace Attorney a little too much.**

 **Originally, I wanted to use Russian and Scandinavian names to fit with Sonia but as you can tell I scrapped that idea.**

 **As always read and review and I will catch you next chapter. Next up Akane Owari.**

 **One last thing: If "Oh reader, mine," didn't give it away I play a lot of Destiny, even if I'm holding off on Destiny 2 until Forsaken launches. So to all of my readers, but the guardians specifically: Would any of you consider reading a Danganronpa-Destiny crossover?**

 **I have three ideas regarding that:**

 **1) The six survivors from the first game are the guardians doing Crota's End. One of Crota's titles was "Hope-Eater." Naegi is the swordbearer, that is non-negotiable. I'm not real crazy about this idea.**

 **2) A retelling of the story of The Last Word and Thorn, with Naegi as Shin Malphur and either Junko or Kamakura as Dredgen Yor. If you know the story, this doesn't sound terrible. A good guardian, Ryoko Otonashi or Hajime Hinata turn into the villain, Junko Enoshima or Izuru Kamakura. I got this idea from something Yor said, "Nothing dies like hope. I cherish it."**

 **3) This one I came up with a few days ago and is my favorite: a different type of Naegi time travel fic. The Vex send a Ghost back in time, but it's Naegi's Ghost and it seeks him out. I actually have a title for this one SHSL Guardian. I admit that I am stretching it with this one but going back to Thorn and The Last Word for a moment, Shin Malphur used Jaren Ward's Ghost after Dredgen Yor killed Ward. That and the Vex can't analyze Light. Guardians are those who "wield that which we (the Vex) cannot analyze." Junko can't properly analyze Naegi. What if instead of it being because of his luck, it was because he had Light? Granted an immortal Naegi wielding paracausal powers seems like a tall order, but I think it might be possible to have a lot of fun with this one.**

 **Let me know what you think in the reviews. Should I work on one of these after this story is done or are they bad ideas and I should feel bad for thinking of them? I'm just asking because I couldn't get them out of my head.**

 **Now that that's done, I see you next time.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Gymnast

* * *

 **Hello again ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages, wesst1 back again, once again!**

 **I was glad to see that you all enjoyed the previous chapter. Honestly, I was afraid that the hostage situation might have been too much. But then again, if there isn't some fear for one's life or over-the-top ridiculousness or even some combination of the two, it's not Danganronpa is it?**

 **So far, I've only gotten two reviews and one PM on the Danganronpa-Destiny crossover idea, but that's okay. It's a little out there I know, but now I think it could be a fun idea. Maybe I'll put up a test chapter after Forsaken launches and I get the Grimoire Anthology.**

 **But none of you came here for that, you're here to read about Naegi and Owari. Now, parts at the beginning of this chapter are intended to whet your appetite for the Asahina chapter that is coming next, so please bear with me. Yeah, I could have done Asahina first, but this way I know some of you will come back for her chapter. With that out of the way, let's get to it.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

Naegi recalled that earlier today he had believed that he had gotten desensitized to just about anything that could possible happen at Hope's Peak Academy. He now realized that maybe that had been a bit premature. If what he believed had happened had actually happened, then there would be no getting used to it. He didn't dare check if he was right though, not until the weight on top of him had moved off of his face.

The weight soon did get off of him and a female voice said, "Heya Naegi-kun. You know you can look if you really want to." Naegi opened his eyes and came face-to-face with a smirking Owari Akane, who was now propping herself up with her elbows.

This wasn't the first time Owari Akane had crashed into Naegi, and he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. He had no idea why but whenever this happened his head either ended up in her cleavage or under her skirt, it seemed that this time it was the former. Naegi did his best to keep his cheeks from turning red, both from those thoughts and Owari's comment.

"Owari-senpai, you really shouldn't say things like that so casually," Naegi told her. He had a feeling he already knew, but he asked anyway, "What happened?"

"The Old Man and I are fighting Ogami-san. Asahina-san's watching too if you're interested," Owari said. _I could fight better if you're cheering for me,_ she thought.

"Owari-san, what's the hold up?" a female voice asked as Nidai Nekomaru, Ogami Sakura, and Asahina Aoi came upon the sight of Owari on top of Naegi. Asahina face turned red in embarrassment and jealousy. The other two just looked apologetic, they knew what happened when their training sessions met Naegi's luck.

"My apologies Naegi-kun, I used to much force," Ogami said.

"What exactly happened? I heard a loud crash or something a minute or so ago and came running over," Naegi explained as he and Owari got to their feet.

"Owari-san thought that if she and I teamed up we could beat Ogami-san. That crash was probably me when I collided with the building," Nidai explained. Nidai had opted for a blue tracksuit as opposed to his regular outfit, a wise decision since his tracksuit was sporting a large number of rips and tears. _I doubt that tracksuit is going to survive this match if he crashes into the building again,_ Naegi thought.

"I tried to distract Ogami-san to give the Old Man an opening and got thrown into you," Owari said with a laugh.

"You're not hurt are you Naegi-kun?" Asahina asked.

Before Naegi could answer Owari said, "Course not, there was plenty to cushion him," while pointing at her chest.

Asahina turned red again, both in embarrassment and anger. Naegi was sure he imagined it, but he thought he saw Asahina hike up her own breasts in response to Owari's statement too.

"Our teamwork still needs work. It might be my fault, I guess I still have a hard time believing that this is the same Owari-san who always charged ahead by herself," Nidai admitted.

"Hey, I can change too you know. Besides, aren't you always saying how people can overcome anything by working together?" Akane asked indignantly.

"Yeah, I've been saying that to you since last year, and it wasn't until a few months ago that you decided to finally listen. Not that there weren't exceptions, but you were usually too stubborn or too proud to accept help when offered it," Nidai countered. After a brief pause, Nidai continued, "Come to think of it, you started listening to that advice after you started hanging out with Naegi-kun. Didn't you two start getting close after he got caught in one of our training sessions?"

"Yep, crashed into him back then too. That time his face was-," Owari started before Naegi cut her off.

"I believe it was right around here too," Naegi said. _I know Owari-senpai is okay with saying these things so openly, but I don't think I can handle it. It's not her fault though, that's just the world she used to live in. I'm glad I was able to help in some way though,_ Naegi thought, as he remembered how he and the Ultimate Gymnast had become friends.

"Yeah it was. That was a pretty good fight that day," Owari stated. _It was just a good day. Getting close to Naegi-kun was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Because someone finally came to help me,_ she thought looking back on how far she had come since that day.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Near the P.E. Building_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Tuesday_

Classes had ended while ago, but Class 77-B was still together. Owari had challenged Nidai again and had been looking forward to it all day. Nidai had happily accepted, whatever the reason, he was always happy to help anyone with their training. The rest of the class, well…

"I didn't think any of you would want to watch this," Nidai said.

"Yeah, we don't," Saionji responded.

"Every time you two fight or train or whatever, you destroy the school grounds and the rest of us have to help fix it," Souda added.

"We're just saving ourselves some time," the Imposter finished as he pointed towards some shovels behind him and the rest of the class.

"HAHA! Sorry about that," Nidai laughed as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Despite laughing about it, Nidai did feel a little bad for causing his classmates trouble.

"C'mon Old Man, let's go!" Owari shouted as she charged at him. She was fast, but Nidai was faster as he easily sidestepped her.

"You've gotten faster, but your style is still too straightforward," Nidai noted. Owari never changed up her tactics, she always tried to charge in and overpower whoever her opponent was, something that was definitely not going to happen against Nidai.

"You'll see that I got stronger too!" Owari shouted as she charged again. Nidai didn't dodge this time. He decided that it would be better to show Owari the flaws in her tactics. To that end he caught her and fell back. Using her momentum, he rolled back and sent her flying upside down through some nearby bushes. All of Class 77-B soon heard what sounded like two people colliding, a muffled grunt, and the sound of someone falling and hitting the ground. They all ran to see what had happened and saw Owari sitting on someone's face. Even though that someone's face was hidden under Owari's skirt, they were recognizable thanks to a very familiar green hoodie.

Mioda was the first to find her voice after witnessing this awkward scene and shouted, "Akane-chan, get off of Makoto-chan!"

Owari gave a confused, "Huh?" before looking at what she was sitting on. She got up as soon as she saw that she was in fact sitting on someone.

Naegi felt the weight leave his face but had his eyes shut tight. He closed them because of the initial impact but closed them again when he realized what had landed on him. _This is it, this is how I'm going to die,_ he thought before he started apologizing, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to see anything! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!"

"Don't tell me this is your first time seeing panties…uh, Nēju-kun?" Owari questioned.

 _Who is Nēju?_ Naegi thought before he opened his eyes. "Actually Senpai, it's Naegi. How am I still alive right now?" he asked, his face was red from embarrassment and he couldn't look Owari in the eyes.

"Just let it go kid, that's just how she is," Kuzuryuu said.

"Why are you embarrassed? I mean, this morning you saw Asahina-," Owari started.

"I didn't mean to do that!" Naegi shouted cutting her off.

"Ultimate Lucky Pervert," Saionji said.

"No, I swear both that and this were accidents and bad timing," Naegi said. By this time he had gotten to his feet and was frantically waving his hands in front of him.

"Well, 'bad' is really a matter of opinion. Incidentally, what did happen this morning with the lovely Asahina-san?" Hanamura asked, his nose bleeding as his imagination went into overdrive. He learned early on not to perv at Asahina when Ogami was around, but he figured what Ogami didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Nothing! Don't ask!" Naegi shouted, hoping that this would end the conversation. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and embarrassment, an action that Tsumiki took as a sign that he was in pain.

"A-are you o-okay, Naegi-kun?" Tsumiki asked. She didn't wait for an answer as she held his head still so that she could examine him properly.

"I'm alright Tsumiki-senpai, I just really want to drop the subject. Thank you though," Naegi said as he gave Tsumiki a reassuring smile.

"He's right. Anyway, Old Man, we're still supposed to be fighting!" Owari said looking at Nidai.

"I guess if Naegi-kun is alright. If we kept going after hurting him it would have left a bad taste in my mouth," Nidai said.

"Let's get this over with. The sooner you two are done the sooner we can get clean up your mess," Kuzuryuu said as he headed back to where the match between Owari and Nidai began. Others soon followed, all of them silently agreeing with him. Before Owari left however, Naegi stopped her with a question.

"Owari-senpai, do you like donuts?"

Naegi thought that he heard one of the members of Class 77-B ask, "Did he seriously just ask that?" Whoever it was, it was hard to blame them, while Owari Akane loved meat the most, she had never met a type food she didn't like.

"Love'em. Why? Do you have any?" Owari asked as she started drooling. All thoughts of fighting Nidai had been momentarily forgotten.

"Just needed to check. Sorry again," Naegi said as he left to do whatever it was he had been trying to do earlier.

Owari gave a disappointed, "Aaaahhhh," before she left to continue her fight. Her annoyance at not getting food had caused her attacks to be fiercer than before. Something that didn't go unnoticed by her classmates, especially since it made a bigger mess for them to clean up.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _That Evening_

Dinner had been ended a while ago. Poor Naegi hadn't been able to look two of his dormmates in the eyes. Saionji and Enoshima kept poking fun at him, but most of the other girls, even Koizumi to Naegi's surprise, seemed to understand that Naegi was not a pervert and defended him. It felt good to know that the girls were finally coming around, even if the situation was still far from ideal.

 _Think about that later,_ he told himself, _you still have something to do._ So with a box in his hands he looked all through the dorm until he found who he was looking for. "Owari-senpai," he called out, alerting her to his presence.

"Oh you're…? Wait, what's your name again?" Owari asked when she saw him.

"I'm Naegi Makoto, Senpai," Naegi gently reminded her. _I know we haven't interacted much, but I have been living here for a while. I even reintroduced myself a few hours ago,_ Naegi thought.

"Oh, right! That sorta sounds like your name. Sorry, sorry. I keep forgetting somehow. I'll remember it easier if you keep givin' me food or something," Owari told him with a laugh.

 _I'm the one who cooks the meals in this dorm!_ Naegi thought. Granted he had volunteered to do it to put everyone at ease, but Naegi couldn't help feeling unappreciated. Pushing that feeling aside, Naegi said, "This works out well then. I bought you these as an apology and a peace offering." Naegi held out the box he was holding which Owari soon grabbed.

Owari opened the box as quickly as she could and saw, much to her delight, "Donuts!"

"Yeah, I was going to get a box for Asahina-san to apologize to her for what happened this morning. After what happened this afternoon, I got decided to get one for you as well. I wasn't going to feel right until I knew that there was no bad blood between us from what happened," Naegi explained.

"Huh? Oh, when you saw my panties? Yeah, we're cool. Later," Owari said as she set the box of donuts down and prepared to eat.

"Wait Senpai, can we talk for a little bit?" Naegi asked. _Does she really not care about that?_ he thought. It didn't make sense.

Owari took a closer look at Naegi before she said, "Look, you seem nice, but I'm not interested in someone who looks like they have low fighting power. Just from lookin' at you, you're probably around a 2. I don't deal with anything lower than trash, y'know?"

 _Okay, I know I don't fight but ouch. I mean, I guess in a roundabout way, she compared me to Son Gok- Wait, fighting power?_ Naegi thought. Then he realized something seemed off about what Owari said. "Why are you focusing on fighting power? That doesn't matter in gymnastics, right?" he asked.

In response, Owari asked, "Gymnastics? What are you talkin' about?"

The fact that he could tell that it was a serious question confused Naegi, so he asked, "Aren't you the Ultimate Gymnast? I mean, that's how you introduced yourself when I first got here."

"Oh, that. Setting records and winning competitions is easy money," Owari said happily.

"Easy money?" Naegi asked while thinking, _Yeah, I don't think most people would say that setting records and winning competitions is exactly "easy" money, Senpai._

"Yeah, that's right. I've been doing it since this really persistent old man convinced me to give it a try. I've been runnin' and jumpin' all over the place ever since I was a kid," Owari told Naegi.

"That sounds a lot like parkour," Naegi said. He supposed that made sense, given what parkour required and what gymnastic required it didn't seem like much of a stretch.

"Yeah, that's what the old man called it, too! Well, it doesn't matter what it's called. When you got people chasin' ya, you just naturally end up doin' parkour when you're runnin' away from them. You should try chasin' me sometime. I seriously won't get caught!" Owari happily proclaimed.

" _People chasing you!" For what? I'm sure there's a story there, but maybe I shouldn't pry too much right now,_ Naegi thought. Still, he couldn't help worrying. What kind of life had Owari lived? Was there anything he could do to help? She seemed so carefree though. Figuring he could always ask Owari for details some other time, Naegi just said, "Well, I'm glad we had this chance to chat Senpai. I hope can do it again soon."

"Huh? Oh, sure. I'll try to remember your name for next time, Neji-kun," Owari said.

"It's Naegi, Senpai. I'm Naegi Makoto. Until next time then," Naegi said as he left.

Finally getting the chance to eat the donuts Naegi brought, Owari dug right in. _These are good. That guy, uh, Naegi-kun, he seemed nice. I wonder if he'll bring more food next time?_ Owari thought as visions of various foods filled her mind.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Thursday_

Naegi had the strangest feeling that he was being watched. He was standing in the dorm's kitchen making dinner, same as he did every day at this time, and he never had this feeling before. Well, that wasn't entirely true, he usually felt a presence when he was cooking, but it was always brief, and he always just assumed that someone was just checking to see what he was making. He believed that was the case this time too, so he tried his best to ignore it. He grabbed a meat thermometer and checked the deep-fried pork that he was had been preparing. It was around this time that he felt something press up against the back of his shoulders. _What is that? Something feels soft,_ he thought as he turned and saw Owari pressed up against him, looking over his shoulder longingly at the pork cutlets. Realizing what it was that felt soft, Naegi started blushing before he turned back to the food and said as calmly as he could, "Owari-senpai, could you step back a bit. I know it's almost dinner time and you're hungry but it's very hard for me to focus when you're looking over my shoulder."

"Huh? Oh, sure thing, um, Naegi-kun! Hey, I got it right this time!" Owari said happily.

Naegi could tell she felt proud of herself. He just smiled and shook his head before saying, "Yeah, you did Senpai. So, did you come to see what was for dinner?"

"Yeah, I always come to check on the food," Owari said, as if it should be obvious.

 _So I was right,_ Naegi thought. "Well, you're more than welcome to stay Senpai, but I need to be able to move around," Naegi told her.

"Is anything ready now?" she asked as she eagerly looked at everything in the kitchen.

"It should all be ready soon, I thought that katsu curry would be good tonight," Naegi said as he got back to work.

Owari looked like she didn't want to wait, mostly because she didn't, but she knew she had to, so she stood off to the side and admired the food.

Figuring that this would be a good opportunity to learn about Owari, Naegi asked, "So Owari-senpai, where did you grow up?"

"A trashy place where crappy people are all swept together. Where I'm from it's not that strange to find a dead body at the dump in the morning," Owari said, her tone was that of a person talking about the weather.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Naegi said, not that there was much one could say to that.

"Huh, why?" Owari asked, confused.

"It's just, I'm sure it made you tough, but still that must have been really hard," Naegi explained. _I can't tell if she really doesn't see anything wrong with it or if she's just desensitized to it,_ he thought.

"Yeah, we never had any money, so I did whatever I could to earn cash. I even sold my used panties to this noisy pig who kept oinkin', 'Panties! Panties!' By the time I was able to legally work part-time, I didn't hafta run away anymore," Owari told him.

Owari may not have found anything odd about that, but Naegi was mortified. _That's the worst thing I've ever heard in my life. On the one hand, I'm glad she got money, but buying an underage girl's panties is just wrong,_ Naegi thought. Deciding to change the subject, Naegi asked, "What kind of part-time jobs did you do?"

"Well, I did a lotta things. For some reason, my mom's boyfriends always pushed me into doing weird jobs," Owari began.

 _I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this,_ Naegi thought.

Owari continued, "At first, one of them told me all I needed to do was serve food. But I never expected he'd tell me to do it like 'that'."

 _Okay, nothing wrong with being a waitress, but...what…did…she…? They didn't… They shouldn't have… They told her to…_ , Naegi was having trouble forming coherent thoughts as realization dawned on him.

Owari seemed to notice that that something was troubling Naegi and asked, "Hm? What happened?"

 _Maybe I have it wrong,_ Naegi thought. He was afraid of the answer, but he asked anyway, "Owari-senpai, did they ask you to…?" He couldn't bring himself to finish.

When it seemed like Naegi wasn't going to finish his question, Owari said, "Well, anyway, I didn't know what to do. I mean, he told me to do it without my panties, y'know? That doesn't make sense, right? There's no way I could do somethin' like that."

"Absolutely!" Naegi said as he nodded. He was relieved that it seemed that Owari had not been exploited.

Naegi's relief was short-lived as Owari said, "I know right! That would definitely make your stomach cold!"

"That's not the point! That's sounds like a JK business. That means it was child grooming! No one touched you did they!?" Naegi shouted.

To Owari, it seemed like Naegi had lost it. "What? Man, you're annoying. Is the food ready yet?" Owari asked. Naegi knew she wasn't kidding, he could hear the irritation in her voice, but he wasn't ready to let this go just yet.

"Senpai, after that happened, did you tell the police?" he asked.

"I didn't need to. I'm not weak," Owari said.

"I never said you were, Senpai," Naegi said, defending himself.

"I don't need someone to protect me and I don't need people to worry about me!" Owari shouted. _That's right, no one would have helped anyway. And if no one would help then, they won't help now. I'm the only one I can depend on,_ Owari thought as she started to leave.

"Senpai, wait. I-I'm sorry I reacted like that, but believe me I have a reason," Naegi said. He wanted everyone to get along. He didn't want to give Owari a reason to dislike him, so there was something he had to tell her.

"What is it?" Owari asked, still clearly annoyed.

"Well, I've never really told anyone this story before. It happened years ago, my sister Komaru was in the third grade. We aren't really sure what happened, but we saw one of her teachers from cram school, I can't recall his name, in our house in the middle of the night. It was a good thing Tou-san caught him. Even though he was caught coming out of Komaru's room, the teacher swore to us he didn't do anything to Komaru. I'd never seen my parents so angry at anyone before. If Kaa-san hadn't called the police, I'm sure Tou-san would have killed that man. Anyway, the teacher was arrested, the cram school told the students he quit, and to this day Komaru believes that the teachers feelings became a living spirit that visited her that night. It wasn't until I was older that I realized the danger Komaru could have been in, I mean usually when some pervert like that breaks into a house, he doesn't usually stop at watching little girls sleep. So I guess in a way we got lucky, but it left a lasting impression on me. I feel very strongly about people taking advantage of young girls because someone I love could have very easily become a victim. I don't want my friends to be in that position either, no one should ever be put in that position," Naegi told Owari.

Owari's eyes softened at Naegi's story. "Well, I guess I get it, but I'm fine. I'm strong after all," she said, no longer annoyed.

"I know you are Senpai, I didn't get angry because I think you're weak, I did it because I care about you. I know we don't know each other that well, but I really do want us to be friends," Naegi said.

"We can be friends, but I don't need someone to worry about me," Owari said. _It did feel kind of nice though…NO! I'm fine on my own,_ she thought.

"I can't promise I won't worry Senpai." Naegi said with a smile, the previous conversation almost forgotten. Naegi then remembered that he still needed to get dinner ready and asked Owari, "Senpai, dinner is just about ready, can you go get the others?"

"Sure can! Hey everybody, come and eat!" Owari shouted as she left the kitchen. That warm feeling of knowing someone cared confused her, and when she got confused, she got hungry, and Owari Akane was not about to let anyone hold up her next meal.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Seventh Week of Classes-Sunday_

It was that time of the week again. Every Sunday morning after breakfast, Owari would raid the dorm's fridge for leftovers to take home. Feeding her seven younger siblings was a difficult task for a myriad of reasons. Half of them were too young to cook for the rest and the ones who were old enough never made anything edible, not that she was much better. Since Naegi had arrived at Hope's Peak Academy there were now enough leftovers to supplement their food situation each week. Most people thought of Owari Akane as a ravenous eater that wouldn't leave a scrap of food behind, and that was true. What most didn't know was that she was protective of what she would refer to as "small hungry things." She never touched food once it was on another person's plate during meals. Eating was the most important thing after all, so stealing food that someone was going to eat was wrong. It was a rather simplistic way of thinking, but that's just how Owari saw it. She also believed that once food qualified as "leftover" it was fair game, and that's why she was in the kitchen now.

 _Oh, this was good, they'll love this. Some of that too. Can't forget about dinner from last night,_ Owari thought as she looked at all of her choices. She was interrupted when a voice called out to her.

"Owari-senpai?"

Owari whipped her head around and saw Naegi standing there looking at her. "Oh, hey Naegi-kun, how's it going?" she greeted.

"Alright. I just came to get something to drink," Naegi answered. Looking at the food Owari had taken from the fridge, he asked, "That's a little much for a snack isn't it Senpai?"

"Of course not. This is normal back home. You can't survive if ya don't eat when you can," Owari answered.

Since Owari had mentioned her home, Naegi decided now was a good time to ask, "Owari-senpai, I've been wondering about this for a while, what's your home like?"

Owari, who saw no harm in answering, said, "Hm? It's not that big of a deal. The only major difference is that I have about seven little brothers and sisters, and my parents don't work."

While Naegi was curious about what Owari had said about her parents, there was something else he was curious about. "I didn't know you were and older sister, Senpai. Seven huh? That's a lot," he said.

Owari just shrugged before explaining, "Y'know how every time you get a new mom or dad, you get new siblings too? Well...that's why I don't really know exactly how many siblings I have."

 _No Senpai, I don't know,_ Naegi thought sadly. Naegi was grateful for this glimpse into Owari's personality, between this and their previous conversation, he was beginning to realize just how difficult Owari's life had been. Naegi pushed that feeling aside and asked, "Then...you took on part-time jobs to help support your family?" _Well, if it's true her parents don't work, then she'd be the sole provider, but I probably should tread carefully with that,_ Naegi thought.

"Yep. I gotta feed the little ones, y'know. When I had my waitressing gig, I'd sometimes steal...I mean, borrow leftovers to bring home. I got paid an hourly wage and I also got tips too, which was pretty sweet," Owari said proudly. Remembering other details, she added, "Oh, and I got to keep my panties on, too. I didn't let customers motorboat me either."

"I certainly hope not. You really shouldn't talk about keeping your panties on so casually," Naegi did not raise his voice, but it was clear that he was angry.

 _Why is he so mad? Oh, right! That thing with his sister's perverted teacher,_ Owari thought. "Oh...I-I see... U-Um...s-sorry..." Owari said.

"You aren't the one who should apologize, Senpai. Your mother's boyfriends; that guy you sold your panties to; anyone who would ask you to wait tables without panties or to motorboat them, _they_ owe _you_ an apology. And I'm sorry I keep getting angry. I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at them, even though it doesn't do any good now," Naegi explained. _Just because this all happened in the past doesn't make it any less infuriating though,_ Naegi thought.

"Y'know, I've been scolded like this before. Back when I was waitin' tables, there was this weird old dude who used to come all the time. He was a gymnastics coach. I wasn't really into sports, and especially not gymnastics, but no matter how much I punched and kicked him, he was pretty persistent. In fact, he looked like he was enjoyin' it. He kept tellin' me I had an amazing body. He was seriously a gross old dude, but thanks to him, I was able to move out with my siblings and find a new home for us," Owari said.

 _I don't think it's appropriate for a grown man to tell an underage girl she has an amazing body, but as long as that's all he did…,_ Naegi thought. Naegi then said, "Yeah, he sounds like a dirty old man, but I'm glad that things worked out for you. As long as he kept his hands to himself."

"Huh? Oh, yeah he did," Owari said.

Naegi gave a sigh of relief before saying, "Good." Looking over at the food Owari had gotten out, Naegi asked, "Is this food for your brothers and sisters?"

"Yeah, I've been taking them whatever is left over every week. They really like your food," Owari said.

Naegi couldn't help feeling a bit proud when he heard that, even if he never really made anything too fancy. Looking at the leftovers again, Naegi couldn't help but ask, "Senpai, this food may last a day or two, but what about the rest of the week?"

"We usually fall back on cup ramen, food that can be microwaved, food that doesn't need to be cooked, or order takeout," Owari answered with a shrug.

Owari hadn't given any specifics, but an image of seven mini-Owari's eating Doritos for dinner floated through Naegi's mind when she said, "food that doesn't need to be cooked." It was partly because of that, and partly because Naegi was a helpful person in general, that Naegi said, "Owari-senpai, if you want, I can come with you and maybe see if I can prepare your siblings' meals for the week. I've got nothing planned for today and would be happy to do it. Maybe I can even teach some of the older kids a simple recipe or two."

Most people probably would have taken Naegi up on the offer right away, and Owari was tempted. However, most people didn't have Owari's childhood experiences and the strange sort of independent streak that they gave her. As a child Owari was regularly starving and as a result she learned to constantly search for food, often from trash she had to fight for with other people, and from anywhere else such as nuts and bird eggs from trees and small animals she managed to catch. She used to get beaten up at times and was often chased by men and one time a stray dog, though this stopped after she became stronger than her pursuers. Since her own home was so poor, she had a habit of resting in libraries during winters and summers, because there was proper air conditioning, free water, and bathrooms unlike in her home. Through all this, no one helped her, and she learned to rely on herself. Doing something out of the goodness of one's heart was not something that happened in her world.

On the other hand, Owari had a deep love for her little brothers and sisters. She would always go to great lengths to make them happy, and it was clear from the first weekend of the school year that food cooked by Naegi Makoto made them happy. To be fair they had enjoyed the food from the restaurants she used to work at and Hanamura's food when she had been able to bring it home. It broke her heart to see how disappointed they were when she stopped bringing home leftovers, but she no longer worked as a waitress and thanks to Saionji, most of Class 77-B wasn't allowed in the school kitchen anymore. Even now, Hanamura was carefully supervised when he was in the school kitchen and his ingredients were subject to random checks. Naegi's leftovers had brought smiles back to their faces, something Owari cherished. If Naegi was offering to cook for them, it would probably make them very happy, and she wouldn't have to worry if they were able to eat or not. So Owari decided, _The lil' ones would probably enjoy it, so fine I guess. If it makes them happy then I'll just give him whatever he wants later._ With her decision made, Owari turned to Naegi and said, "Alright, let me finish up here and then we'll go."

"Okay, let me just grab my wallet and phone and then I'll help you carry all of this. Maybe there are some coolers or something we can put the leftovers in. All of it should keep, but when it comes to food safety, better safe than sorry," Naegi said as he left the kitchen. _Going by what Owari-senpai said, we might need to do some grocery shopping,_ Naegi thought, grateful that his parents sent him money.

* * *

 _Outskirts of Hikarimachi_

 _Higashi Ward, Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture-Later That Morning_

It didn't take long to reach the area of Owari's neighborhood by train, but the trip to her actual home felt long to Naegi. The two of them were carrying a cooler of leftovers each, but that wasn't what made the trip feel long. Naegi had suspected it but now he knew for sure, Owari's siblings didn't exactly live in the nicest part of town. It wasn't a slum but there was a red-light district nearby, making it a tough place. Once people spotted Naegi, their eyes were glued to him. _Is it really that obvious that I'm not from around here?_ Naegi asked himself. He supposed that if he lived around here, then he would be wary of outsides too, but he didn't think that he looked like he'd cause trouble. "I guess they don't like strangers around here," Naegi mumbled. He didn't mean for anyone to hear that, but Owari did.

"You'll be fine if you're with me, they know what I'll do to them if they try anything," Owari said as they approached an apartment building.

The building looked like it had seen better days but didn't look like it was in danger of being condemned. Paint was peeling off; light bulbs needed replaced, and the windows were scratched to hell and back, but there was nothing that seemed to be cause for immediate concern. The only real problem seemed to be the location, it was right on the border of the red-light district.

Owari led the way inside and up a few flights of stairs before stopping at a door. She placed her cooler of to the side before fishing a key out of her pocket. After she had unlocked and opened the door she said, "Hey you little brats, I'm back."

Naegi heard seven voices shout, "Akane-nee!" followed by the sound of running. It turned out Naegi's mental image from earlier in the day had been pretty accurate, Owari's brothers and sisters did in fact look like smaller versions of her. There were differences in eye color and miniscule differences in facial features, but no one could deny the family resemblance. Same messy hair, same tanned skin, they were definitely related to Owari Akane.

The excitement the kids had at seeing their sister was tempered by their wariness of Naegi. The oldest, a boy of about thirteen who looked like a male version of Owari, but with brown eyes asked, "Akane-nee, who is that?"

"Pleased to meet all of you. I'm Naegi Makoto, and I go to Hope's Peak Academy with Owari-senpai," Naegi said. He would have liked to wave of offer a handshake, but the cooler he was holding prevented that.

"He lives at the dorm with me and the girls, something about his luck I think. He's the one in charge of the food," Owari explained.

"I cook, keep house, and occasionally act as a handy man, but I'm supposed to be the Ultimate Lucky Student of my year," Naegi added.

The youngest child, a five-year-old boy that also had brown eyes asked, "Are you Akane-nee's boyfriend?"

"No, he's just here because he offered to cook for you," Owari said with laugh.

The children's eyes lit up when she said that. A few even excitedly asked, "Really?"

"Yeah, Owari-senpai told me that you liked what I made at the dorm, so I thought that you'd like it even better fresh. I'd also like to prepare meals for you kids for the week and maybe teach some of you to cook simple things on your own," Naegi explained, suddenly feeling pressure from their excitement.

Any uneasiness the children may have felt because of Naegi must have disappeared after he had told them that because the oldest boy came forward and said, "I'm Owari Sadaharu, I'm thirteen and I'm in charge when Akane-nee isn't around. Nice to meet you Makoto-nii."

"Nice to meet you too, Owari-kun. I just realized, this might get a little confusing," Naegi said as he realized that he couldn't refer to all of the kids by their surname. _Makoto-nii huh? They warmed up to me pretty quickly,_ Naegi thought, not that he minded.

"You can call me Sadaharu-kun, Makoto-nii," Sadaharu said. He motioned towards his other siblings and said, "From oldest to youngest there is Sayuri,"

"Hello," a girl of eleven with the same eye color as Owari greeted.

"Natsuko,"

"Hi," a girl no older than ten said shyly. She looked like her eldest sister too, but her personality was certainly different.

"Tatsunori,"

"Nice to meet you," a boy with blue eyes said. He looked to only be nine.

"Mari,"

"Can we call you Mako-nii?" a seven-year-old girl asked. The biggest difference between her and her eldest sister was that her eyes were black.

"If that's what you want, Mari-chan," Naegi told her. He got a sweet smile in return.

"Ataru,"

"Mako-nii is gonna cook for us, that's so cool!" a boy of about six exclaimed. His eyes were hazel.

"And the youngest is Suguru," Sadaharu finished.

"What are you gonna make for us, Mako-nii?" Suguru asked.

"Well, I'll need to see what I've got to work with. How about all of you help your Nee-chan unpack what's in these coolers, and I'll let you know," Naegi said.

"Okay," Suguru said.

"Follow me to the kitchen," Owari said as she started walking with a cooler in her arms. Naegi followed her with the other cooler and the children followed after them both.

The kitchen was smaller than the one back at the dorm, but it had everything Naegi needed. Now he just needed to see what was on hand. As the Owaris unpacked the leftovers, Naegi looked over at the food that was already in the apartment. Once he was done he said, "The food situation isn't bad, but it still looks like we need to make a trip to the store before I can do everything I promised."

"You heard him. Let's finish up. The sooner we're done, the sooner we can eat," Owari said as she and her siblings picked up the pace.

* * *

A few minutes later, after Owari, Naegi, and the children had made their way to the nearest supermarket, Naegi pulled out a few pieces of paper and said, "Owari-senpai, Sadaharu-kun, Sayuri-chan, let's split up and get everything on one of these lists. There's one for staple foods, fruits and vegetables, meat, and fish."

"Mako-nii, what about drinks and snacks?" Mari asked.

"I put drinks on the list with the staple foods, Mari-chan. Before we get snacks though, I think we should see how much everything will cost," Naegi explained.

"Okay," she said.

"I want to go with Mako-nii!" Ataru shouted.

"Calm down Ataru," Sadaharu reprimanded.

"It's okay. Ataru-chan, you're more than welcome to come with me," Naegi said.

"Can I come too?" Mari asked.

"You most certainly can, Mari-chan," Naegi answered. Holding out the lists he let the other groups choose first. Sadaharu would get fish; Sayuri and Tatsunori were in charge of fruits and vegetables; Owari, Suguru, and Natsuko would get meat; and Naegi would get staple foods.

"Okay, let's join up with each other as we finish," Naegi said as he, Ataru and Mari left to shop for what was on their list.

"Well, you kids heard him. Get to it. And don't talk to anyone you don't know who isn't wearing a nametag," Owari said.

"Okay Akane-nee," Sadaharu, Sayuri, and Tatsunori answered before they left to shop.

A few minutes later and Owari, Natsuko, and Suguru had finished getting the meat Naegi had put on their shopping list. "Okay, let's go find the others," Owari said, before she and the other two set out to do just that.

Suguru, who had been quiet for a while, asked, "Akane-nee?"

"What is it Suguru?" Owari asked.

"Is this what it's like to have a kaa-san and an otou-san?" Suguru asked.

All Owari could say in response to that was, "Huh?"

"If Akane-nee is our onee-chan and takes care of us like an okaa-san, does that make Mako-nii like an otou-san?" Natsuko asked. She and Suguru had been thinking the same thing apparently.

"I mean, I guess, but why bring this up? I thought I was doing a good job of taking care of all of you myself," Owari said, a little defensively.

"You do Akane-nee," Suguru said.

"We just think it would be nice if someone took care of you too," Natsuko said.

Owari probably would have blown up at anyone else for suggesting such a thing, but her siblings brought out her calmer, softer side. "I really don't need someone to do that, I'm strong enough on my own y'know," she said. _That does sound pretty ni-no! No one took care of me before, I had to do it all by myself. I'm fine, I can take care of my family on my own. If Naegi being around makes the kids happy, then fine, he can come around, but I don't really need his help and I don't need someone to take care of me. I'm strong_ , Owari thought stubbornly.

"Senpai!"

"Natsuko-nee!"

"Suguru!"

Three different voices called out and Owari saw Naegi and the rest of her family coming towards her. Apparently, they had all finished up before her.

"Hey," Owari greeted back. What her brother and sister had said had shaken her up a bit, but she pushed through it.

"Alright, now we can get snacks!" Ataru happily exclaimed.

"Just let me check a few things Ataru-chan," Naegi said. He took out his phone which had the calculator app open and added the cost of the meats to the total. "And the 8% sales tax and we've got…okay, let me check my wallet," Naegi said as he checked how much money he had on him. "I think we have enough to get each of you something you want," he told the kids.

Three very young voices exclaimed:

"Cookies!"

"Candy!"

"Ice cream!"

"We'll get them, but everyone only gets one thing, otherwise we won't have enough," Naegi explained.

"Is your family rich or something?" Owari asked, wondering how Naegi could afford the four carts of groceries.

"Huh? Oh, no it's just that since I'm not home, my parents have been sending me generous amounts of money. I had some savings before coming to Hope's Peak though, and the only thing I've bought were those flowers for Mioda-senpai's show. I just thought that I should pay this time because I wanted to get extra for when I show some of the kids how to cook," Naegi explained.

"As long as you aren't treating us like some charity case," Owari said. She was grateful, how could she not be, someone was buying her and her siblings food, but she didn't want any pity.

"I'm sorry if I gave you that impression, Senpai. It's just that when I heard about your siblings I just couldn't help myself. I have a soft spot for kids and I wanted to be sure they were eating right. Scurvy, beriberi, rickets, and the like are still real," Naegi said.

"What, what, and what?" Owari asked.

"Well, Tsumiki-senpai and possibly Hanamura-senpai, could tell you more, but the short answer is those are illnesses caused by vitamin deficiency, often times resulting from poor eating habits. Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C. Beriberi, is the severe and chronic form of thiamine deficiency, a medical condition of low levels of vitamin B1. Rickets is a condition that is most commonly caused by a vitamin D deficiency. We don't see much of them anymore, at least not in Japan, and your siblings probably aren't in danger of getting any of those, but it's still probably not the best idea to live off of cup ramen, frozen dinners, and food that doesn't need cooked," Naegi explained.

"I didn't know that, I thought it was enough to just have food," Owari said sadly. She felt bad that the health of her siblings could have been in danger from not eating right.

Naegi put his hand on Owari's shoulder and said, "Senpai, you're a sister who has been promoted to parent. You've managed to raise seven wonderful children by yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, and like I said, we don't think about these things because they are so rare in Japan. It doesn't make you any less amazing, so don't go thinking that it does."

Owari didn't know if it was those words or Naegi's hand but she couldn't help thinking, _He's so warm. Maybe it's okay to depend on…NO!_ Despite her internal reprimand of herself, she still said, "Thanks Naegi-kun. You're a really nice guy."

"I only spoke the truth Senpai," Naegi told her.

The rest of Owari's family saw this and couldn't help but feel happy that someone like Naegi Makoto had come into their lives.

* * *

After checking out and heading back to Owari's home, everyone set about putting food away. Once this was done, Naegi pulled Sadaharu, Sayuri, Natsuko, and Tatsunori aside for a quick lesson.

"Okay we have basmati rice, water, beef fillets, red and green onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and dashi stock. Anyone want to guess what we're making?" he asked.

"Gyudon?" Natsuko asked.

"That's right Natsuko-chan. Now, the recipe usually calls for sake and mirin for the sauce, but it can be just as easily made without it. Which is good because none of us can legally buy sake or mirin," Naegi said.

"Why gyudon though?" Sadaharu asked.

"Well, it might not be the easiest place to start, but it isn't the hardest. Plus, even though I prefer curry, gyudon has a lot of sentimental value to me. My Otou-san used to make it whenever Okaa-san was sick, and we had to fend for ourselves. He'd always sing this short little song from this anime he watched as a little kid," Naegi said fondly.

"What song?" Tatsunori asked.

"Let's see if I remember, I think it went:

" _All I need is gyudon for the next 300 years…Fast, delicious, and cheap too!"_ Naegi sang, much to the delight of the kids in the kitchen.

"That's funny," Sayuri said through her laughter.

"Yeah, he always did it for Komaru and me, it always put a smile on our faces," Naegi said as he recalled all of his fond memories with his family. He stopped when he considered the Owari family's situation, these kids had never had real parents, Owari had to pick up the slack. Naegi always knew he loved his family, but he never knew how much he could appreciate them until now. Getting back to the task at hand Naegi said, "Okay Sadaharu-kun, you make gyudon; Sayuri-chan will be in charge of miso soup; Natsuko and Tatsunori, you two need to make enough cabbage salad for everyone. Now I'm going to explain everything step-by-step and then I'm going to prepare meals for you for the rest of the week and leave cooking instructions on them. If you get stuck or seem to be having trouble don't be afraid to ask for help. Is everyone ready?"

"Hai, Mako-nii!" three loud voices exclaimed while the shy Natsuko just nodded.

While Naegi was busy in the kitchen with some of her older younger siblings, Owari was keeping the other three company. All of them had warmed up to Naegi rather quickly, but Mari, Ataru, and Suguru seemed to really enjoy having Naegi around. Owari wouldn't have minded that, but for the fact that her siblings seemed to be under the wrong impression about her relationship with Naegi.

"Akane-nee, are you gonna marry Mako-nii someday?" Mari asked.

"No Mari, I'm not. What is it with you kids today? He's not my boyfriend, he just lives with me and the girls at our dorm," Owari explained. It seemed to be futile to tell them otherwise though, the younger children really seemed to want their sister to be together with Naegi.

"Don't let the other girls beat you Akane-nee!" Ataru exclaimed. If he hadn't been six-years-old, one would have reason to believe he was trying to appeal to his sister's competitive nature.

"If we were competing I wouldn't. Do you kids really like him that much?" Owari asked, receiving three nods in return.

"He's really nice," Suguru said.

"He's knows how to cook," Ataru added.

"He knows how great you are, Akane-nee," Mari finished.

A blush made its way to Owari's cheeks as she remembered what Naegi had said at the store. Owari would be the first to admit that she didn't like to think very hard, many people thought that she was dumb, but she knew that there was something different about Naegi. Sadly, her stubbornness, born from her rough life, wouldn't let her accept that completely.

"Food's ready!" Sadaharu's voice called out.

As Owari and the kids made their way into the kitchen to get their lunch they noticed just how good everything smelled.

"Did you kids make all of this?" Owari asked seeing the food spread out.

"Mako-nii helped, but we managed to do most of it," Sayuri said with pride as she placed her hands on her hips.

"They picked everything up rather quickly, I was impressed. I was able to finish up the prep work for their meals this week earlier than expected because of it," Naegi said. One could tell by his voice that he was proud of the kids too.

As soon as everyone was ready there was a chorus of "Itadakimasu!" before everyone dug in. to everyone's surprise, even the kids who had cooked the food, everything was delicious. There may have been room for improvement, the sauce was a little unevenly mixed in, but now there seemed to be one less thing for Owari to worry about when she was at Hope's Peak.

"You four did an excellent job for your first time, you should all be proud," Naegi said after lunch.

"I don't know if we could have done it without you, Mako-nii," Tatsunori said.

"Everyone needs at least a little help their first time, but I think you kids are off to a good start," Naegi said. Looking at the time, Naegi then asked, "Owari-senpai, do you think we should be getting back soon?"

"Probably, let's gather up the coolers and the containers I brought last week," Owari said as she got up from the table.

"Will you come back, Mako-nii?" Suguru asked.

"I'll try Suguru-chan, but I might not always be able to," Naegi said.

Naegi was treated to a chorus of disappointed "Aww's" in response.

"I promise to send you kids meals for the week every week that I can't make it though," Naegi said.

That seemed to pacify the younger Owaris. With that out of the way Owari and Naegi gathered up everything that needed to return to Hope's Peak and after saying their good-byes, went on their way.

"You have a wonderful family, Senpai. You should be proud," Naegi said as the two made their wat to the train station.

Owari blushed at that and gave a shaky, "Y-yeah," in response. Thinking that now was a good a time as any to bring it up, Owari asked, "So what do you want?"

"I don't understand," Naegi said.

"Do you want my panties? You can feel me up if you want. You made my brothers and sisters happy, so you can name it," Owari said.

Naegi didn't know what he found more disturbing: Owari's offers or the fact that she didn't seem bothered by them. Rather than resigned she seemed almost, not happy, but it sounded like a proud parent asking a small child what toy they wanted as a reward for good behavior.

"You don't owe me anything Senpai, I'm the one who offered," Naegi said, hoping that would be the end of it. Naegi couldn't deny that the temptation was there, whatever else he might be, Naegi was also a teenage boy and Owari was a very attractive teenage girl, but Naegi also knew the difference between right and wrong.

"C'mon, I'll even let you motorboat me if you want," Owari said. Even after hearing Naegi's thoughts on the subject, Owari thought that Naegi deserved some kind of reward.

"Senpai, you shouldn't make those offers so casually. You should only do things of this nature with the person you love," Naegi tried to explain.

It seemed to have at least some effect as Owari relented and asked, "Well what do you want?"

"I don't really want anything, Senpai. I just wanted to do something nice for my friend and her family," Naegi answered.

"C'mon, you must want something," Owari pressed.

"Could you grab me a Coke from the fridge when we get back then? I'll worry about putting everything away," Naegi said. He really had no desire for any sort of payment for doing what he thought was right. Hopefully this would be enough to convince her that they were even. _I guess Owari-senpai and I live in two very different worlds,_ Naegi thought.

"Fine," Owari relented. _Someone's easy to please,_ she thought before the two of them purchased the tickets that would get them back to Hope's Peak.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Eighth Week of Classes-Wednesday_

It was after midnight but sleep eluded Naegi Makoto. A sniper had made an attempt on Sonia's life only hours ago and they were still at large. Naegi didn't think Sonia was in any danger at the moment, but he was still rather shaken up by the event. Currently he was making his way to the kitchen for something that might help him sleep.

 _Maybe warm milk will work_ , he thought as he made his way from his room to the kitchen. Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye he turned and saw trees swaying in the wind rather violently. _Never been more grateful for soundproofing in my life, I can't imagine how loud the wind is if it's shaking the trees that much,_ Naegi thought. As he approached the kitchen, he sound found that he wasn't alone.

"Owari-senpai?" Naegi asked sleepily. It was in fact Owari Akane in the kitchen.

"Oh hey Naegi-kun, just came for a midnight snack," Owari said, as she dug through the fridge.

"Couldn't you sleep either Senpai?" Naegi asked.

"Nah, guess I was still too hungry to sleep through the night," Owari answered. When it seemed like she found what she was looking for she said, "Haha, score. When things don't make sense, the only thing I can do is stuff my face. As long as I can eat and move my body, that's when I feel like I'm alive. That's all I need."

" _When things don't make sense?" Is she talking about what happened with Sonia-senpai? At the very least it sounds like she might have something on her mind_ , Naegi thought.

"Are you worried about Sonia-senpai?" Naegi asked.

That caught Owari off guard as she stammered, "Huh? Wh-What are you talkin' about? I don't really worry about things. There's no way I'd ever worry about anything!"

"Really? Sonia-senpai is your classmate, no one would blame you for worrying about her. That's part of the reason I'm down here, I was too worried to sleep," Naegi said.

"I'm not worried, alright!? I'm not weak!" Owari yelled. Naegi was right but she'd sooner stop eating meat than admit it. Death never bothered her before, back when she was much younger, she lived in a very poor area where people were dying frequently. In the mornings, it wasn't that rare to find dead bodies. It was because of this, she never bothered to make close friends, or even learn any names. She couldn't do that anymore though, she had become quite attached to her classmates and now someone out there was after one of their lives. _Stop worrying dammit! Worrying is for the weak!_ Owari mentally reprimanded herself.

Naegi had no way of knowing about that part of Owari's childhood so all he could say was, "I'm not calling you weak Senpai."

"Good, because I'm not," Owari said as she went back to looking through the fridge for a snack. It seemed like she finally found what she wanted as she pulled something out to heat up. As she headed for the microwave and Naegi went about getting his warm milk, Owari saw something tapping the window. It looked to be a pale, white hand. Owari paled herself before she let out a scream.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Naegi, who had just gotten a glass, turned suddenly and asked, "Senpai what's wrong!?" All he saw was Owari crouched on the ground, shaking like a leaf and pointing a trembling finger at the window.

"Gh... Gh-Gh...Ghost," Owari stammered.

"Ghost?" Naegi asked. He looked to where Owari was pointing and said, "That's not a ghost, some paper just got caught in that tree branch. It happens a lot when it gets windy."

Owari wasn't convinced. "Liar," she said.

"Really Senpai, I'm not lying. I know it kind of looks like a hand but if you look closely you can almost make out the writing on the paper," Naegi said.

Owari did just that and her face turned red in embarrassment, she couldn't believe that Naegi had seen her like this.

When she didn't say anything, Naegi asked, "Are you okay, Senpai?"

"Forget about what you saw just now!" Owari ordered.

"Huh?" Naegi asked

"I-If you tell anyone, I'll kill you! If I even catch you thinking about it, I'll kill you! I'll...get you for this!" Owari stammered out, embarrassment and angry clear in her voice. Naegi wasn't sure if she was mad at him or herself, but she was apparently worked up enough to forget her food.

Naegi was frozen in place, he never expected to see that side of Owari. He never expected Owari to forget about food either. He had wanted to call after her but figured it would be best to give her space. Little did either of them know that a third person was present for all of this.

Enoshima Junko had thought that maybe if she ate something it would help her Despair Withdrawal. Maybe she would put on a little weight and make her agent panic. It wouldn't have been much, but she'd take it. Now after hearing that exchange, she wondered what she could use Owari's fear for. She'd need time for this, her track record with hastily made plans was very poor when Naegi was involved. Fear of ghosts wasn't much to work with though. Oh well, Enoshima Junko was nothing if not creative.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Ninth Week of Classes-Sunday_

With breakfast and the dishes done, Naegi waited in the kitchen for Owari to come and gather leftovers. He wanted to see if would allow him to join her when she visited her family. The children may have liked him, but he couldn't just invite himself after all. He didn't have to wait long as Owari came in after only a few minutes.

"Owari-senpai, would you mind if I joined you when you visit your family?" Naegi asked.

"Huh? Sure, it's fine" Owari said, not making eye contact.

Naegi had noticed that Owari had been trying to avoid him all week and he had a feeling he knew why. "Owari-senpai, are you alright?" he asked.

"You made sure you forgot what you saw...right?" Owari asked back finally making eye contact.

 _I knew it,_ Naegi thought. He had a feeling that was the reason being Owari's behavior, and now he knew for sure. As much as Naegi wanted to do as his friend had asked, what he saw was not something one would easily forget. There was also one more reason Naegi could not forget what he saw, "I'm afraid I haven't Senpai," Naegi said honestly, leaving out that even if he had, Owari had just reminded him.

"I'll kill you," Owari growled out.

 _I should have known that answer would have made her mad, but I don't think it's just embarrassment behind that anger,_ Naegi thought. "Owari-senpai, everyone has something that they're afraid of, it's really not a big deal. I happen to be afraid of…" Naegi stared before Owari cut him off.

"Stop it! Just...stop it. Don't treat me like I'm weak!" Owari shouted.

"Senpai," Naegi said, concern clear in his voice.

"I-I'm not weak... Being weak is bad. If you get kicked around and beat up, or cry and scream that there's no food or medicine, no one'll help you. And the next time I say someone's name...I might be talkin' about a dead body... That's...the kinda place I grew up in. Weak people die and there's nothin' you can do about it! No matter what happens, you can't complain!" Owari didn't even seem to be talking to him anymore. To Naegi, it looked like she was forcing herself to remember the lessons her life had taught her.

Hearing all of that broke Naegi's heart, he never realized just how badly Owari's past had affected her. _I have to say something, anything that can make her feel better. Something to let her know that things are different now,_ he thought. "Senpai," Naegi began, "you are not weak. You're one of the strongest people I know. But everyone has moments of weakness. Humans feel overwhelmed sometimes or cry. I know I do, but I keep pushing forward. Real strength isn't about rejecting your weaknesses, it's about overcoming them."

That seemed to calm Owari down a little bit, as she said, "It's weird... When I talk to you... I feel like...I'm getting really weak or something." It didn't take long for some of the anger to come back though, since she then said, "I was much stronger when I was alone! Stop sayin' things that don't make sense!"

"Senpai," Naegi said, momentarily discouraged. Naegi perked himself up though and then tried again. "Senpai, you don't always have to go it alone. I know that attitude sounds like it makes you brave and strong, but taken another way, it also sounds like you can't bring yourself to completely trust others. Think about it, you have lots of people who will help you now, you just have to let them in."

Naegi's words had an impact on Owari, she had calmed down at least. Still Naegi could see that she wasn't ready to accept that way of thinking, and after the life she had lived, he couldn't blame her. So he thought that maybe the best course of action was to apologize.

"Senpai, I-," Naegi started.

"You sound a lot like the Old Man," Owari said. Naegi wasn't sure if this was a good sign or not, but if Nidai had said something similar to Owari than Naegi figured he would be okay, those two were still friends after all.

"Senpai, do you not want me to go with you?" Naegi asked.

"No, you probably should. You can't make it next week, right? You and Sonia have to go to that thing. The lil' ones will never let me hear the end of it if you don't come for two weeks in a row," Owari said.

"Right, the Novoselic Embassy," Naegi said. The conversation he had been having with Owari caused him to momentarily forget he would be preoccupied next week. He was still worried that the atmosphere would be too tense if he joined Owari, but Naegi thought he might have a way to fix that.

"Senpai, I'm not really all that worried about people knowing that I'm afraid of things, but there is something I don't want people to know. That should make us even, right?" Naegi asked.

"What is it?" Owari asked, curious.

Naegi motioned for her to come closer and then whispered something in her ear. Whatever it was, it caused Owari to laugh the hardest she'd ever laughed in her life.

"You're kidding. Until the fifth grade?" Owari asked through her laughter. She wanted to be absolutely sure she heard him right.

"Yes I did, and I'll thank you to not tell anyone," Naegi said, his face red with embarrassment.

Owari kept laughing for a little while longer before she said, "Alright it's a deal, I won't tell your secret if you won't tell mine."

That had been the response Naegi had been hoping for. "Sounds like a plan Senpai," he said. _Well, I managed to lighten the mood. I'm glad the children won't see us behave awkwardly around each other. I'd have preferred a different way, but I know I can trust Owari-senpai. I hope one day she realizes that she can trust me too,_ Naegi thought.

Naegi had no way of knowing, but Owari was beginning to warm up to the idea of trusting him, if only just a little bit. _He's a dead man if he says anything, but for some reason I don't think he will. Still, I can be strong on my own. I'll accept his help because of the lil' ones but that's it. I don't need someone to be strong for me,_ Owari thought.

The two then gathered up what they would need and headed to the train station to spend the day with the rest of the Owari family.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Class 77-B's Homeroom_

 _Tenth Week of Classes-Monday_

The day after the hostage situation at the Novoselic Embassy had been a hectic one. The press where at the main gate attempting to get interviews with Sonia, Naegi, Tanaka, and Souda. They had gotten a few words from Naegi, but that just made the reporters want to interview Fujisaki, Ikusaba, and Enoshima too. Yukizome had received more than a few calls from the head of security, a former classmate and close friend of hers named Sakakura Juzo, the former Ultimate Boxer, asking her to "Send your damn students out here to talk so these jackasses will leave." Those were his words. He had screamed them loud enough for the class to hear it. Yukizome and her students had a feeling that Hope's Peak security, Sakakura specifically, wouldn't be getting any positive press anytime soon.

Though she hadn't played any real role in the hostage situation Owari had her share of problems because of it. She had been with her brothers and sisters when everything had started, and when the news broke the younger children had begged her to go and save Naegi. The news of Naegi being shot must have been reported sometime early this morning because before breakfast she received a call from Sadaharu asking if Naegi was alright. She spent almost twenty minutes trying convincing Mari, Ataru, and Suguru that Naegi wasn't in any danger so that they would stop crying. When that didn't work, she just handed her phone to Naegi. He probably would have had an easier time convincing them if Sonia hadn't kept trying to feed him.

That wasn't the only problem, at least not as far as Owari was concerned. Maizono had insisted on taking care of breakfast for the week even though Naegi trying to tell her he was fine. Kimura's medicine had healed his shoulder, but he made the mistake of saying that it was still sensitive. That was all Maizono need to hear, she insisted that she would take care of breakfast and dinner and that Naegi would rest. Maizono may have been a good cook but Mioda had volunteered her services too. The result this morning was an unrecognizable mess, but it seemed Maizono had managed to somewhat salvage it, so at least it was edible. Unfortunately, it just didn't taste as good as anything Naegi had made. The one silver lining in this was that Ikusaba was the one watching Naegi at the request of Maizono, Mioda, and Sonia, all to ensure he didn't overexert himself. When it seemed like the girls would not be convinced that there was nothing wrong with his shoulder, Naegi had attempted to go behind their backs and take care of things at the dorm. It was kind of funny seeing him try to outmaneuver the Ultimate Soldier, Owari had to admit.

Still, Owari hoped that it all blew over soon.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Tenth Week of Classes-Wednesday_

It did not blow over soon. In fact, the more time went on, the more details emerged about the terrorists. The more details that emerged, the more questions the press had. Members of various media outlets from Novoselic now joined their Japanese counterparts outside of Hope's Peak. Those involved in the incident wouldn't have minded answering questions, except that they were questions that had been answered earlier in the week. Naegi, Sonia, and the others had told the press everything that they knew. They had even given statements to the reporters from Novoselic.

 _It makes sense I guess. The story would have been big news regardless, but Hope's Peak Academy also has a certain mystique about it. I guess when its students make the news like this, the story just sort of sticks around,_ Naegi thought.

It was almost dinner time and the residents of the dorm were waiting for Yukizome to come back. Headmaster Kirigiri had called a staff meeting to discuss what to do about the media. It had become clear after just two days that the press being at the main gate was making life difficult for security. A few younger reporters had even tried scaling the walls around the school in an attempt to get a major scoop.

Just as Maizono and Mioda were putting dinner on the table, Yukizome returned. "Well my little rotten oranges, I have some news," she said.

"What news Sensei?" Nanami asked.

"Since it doesn't seem like the media frenzy is dying down anytime soon, and since it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold classes with reporters distracting the students, the Headmaster has decided that we should all have some time off. So, no class next week," Yukizome said.

"How will that help Sensei, won't we all still be here?" Naegi asked.

"Well that's another thing we discussed at the meeting. The Headmaster thinks it would be best if everyone involved in the hostage situation would go on a trip next week," Yukizome said.

"So that would mean my sister, Naegi-kun, Sonia-senpai, Mioda-senpai, Maizono-san, Fujisaki-kun, Souda-senpai, Tanaka-senpai, and myself need to leave campus?" Ikusaba asked. She understood the Headmaster's reasoning, but it still felt like they were being chased out of Hope's Peak.

"I have a wonderful idea!" Sonia exclaimed. When everyone turned to look at her, they swore she had stars in her eyes.

"What is it Sonia-senpai?" Naegi asked.

"As thanks for what you all did at the Novoselic Embassy, we should all take a trip together. Class 77-B and Class 78 will spend a week at a hot spring inn near Mt. Fuji!" Sonia said.

"Both classes? As in every member of our classes?" Maizono asked.

"It is true that only a few members of each class had in active role in capturing the former ambassador and foiling his plans, but you all did come to make sure we were alright. I would feel awful if anyone were to be excluded," Sonia said.

"That's very generous of you Senpai," Naegi said.

"It is nothing Naegi-kun. To be perfectly honest, I have wanted to stay at a hot spring inn since I first arrived in Japan," Sonia said.

"If Yukizome-sensei and a male teacher chaperone us then I think this is a fine idea," Ogami said.

"I'll ask around and see if anyone is free," Yukizome said.

"Excellent, I will make reservations. If all goes well, we will leave Sunday morning and spend the whole week near Mt. Fuji," Sonia said.

Naegi noticed Owari looked like she wanted to say something, and he had a feeling that he knew what it was. She would either miss the trip or not visit her family that week. Naegi didn't think either option was fair, so he decided to ask, "Sonia-senpai, would it be alright for any of us to bring family members on this trip?"

"I hadn't expected to meet your family so soon, but never fear Darling, I have studied the basics of dating in Japan and I am sure that-," Sonia said before Naegi interrupted.

"Oh, I don't think that they'll be able to come Senpai, work and school keep my parents and sister pretty busy," Naegi said, more than a little embarrassed at being referred to as "Darling" in front of everyone and at causing such a misunderstanding.

"Then, I am afraid that I do not understand," Sonia admitted.

"Owari-senpai, don't you have seven younger siblings?" Naegi asked. He knew the answer, he just hoped Owari caught on to what he was doing.

"You know I do, I'm the one who takes care of them since my crappy parents don't live with us," Owari said, not sure why Naegi would ask something he already knew.

Owari might not have been able to guess what Naegi was trying to do, but it had the desired effect anyway since Sonia said, "Owari-san, you are more than free to invite your siblings if you want. The more the merrier after all."

"Huh? Oh yeah I guess I'll do that," Owari said, relieved. She knew that if she didn't bring them she would either be leaving them to fend for themselves for a week and worry the whole time, or she would be alone at the dorm with no one to cook for her and no leftovers or prepared meals to take home. Neither scenario was particularly appealing. The only thing she had to worry about now was the children missing school. _They hardly ever miss school, so a week couldn't hurt,_ Owari thought. Owari may not have been the best student, but that didn't mean she didn't take her brothers' and sisters' education seriously. She then realized that Naegi asked about inviting family for her sake. She was grateful, but she still didn't get it. Naegi cared about her family even though he didn't have to, and he never wanted anything, no matter what or how many times she offered. _Seriously, does he not know how the world works? Or does he think I can't do it on my own?_ Owari asked herself.

"Sounds like a plan. Sonia-san will you inform us when the reservations are made?" Yukizome asked.

"Of course Sensei. Next week will be 'hella cool!'" Sonia exclaimed happily.

With that dinner proceeded, with everyone looking forward to next week.

* * *

 _Yamanashi Prefecture-Road to the Inn_

 _Eleventh Week of Classes-Sunday_

Sonia had managed to make the reservations just as she had promised. Yukizome had also found a chaperone for the male students in the form of Kizakura, who many suspected just wanted to drink sake in a hot spring.

Naegi and Owari had split up from the group earlier in the morning to gather up her siblings for the trip. They had all met up again at the train station in the Yamanashi Prefecture and were now in buses on their way to their destination. Part of the deal allowing Owari's siblings to join the students of Hope's Peak was that Owari and Naegi would keep an eye on them. It could have been any male student that would watch Owari's brothers when circumstances would not permit her to do so, but it was clear that they respected their "Mako-nii" almost as much as their sister, so the job fell to Naegi, not that he minded.

"Are we there yet?" Ataru asked impatiently.

Well, there were times when he minded, like when Ataru asked that question for what felt like the millionth time. "Not yet Ataru-chan, but it shouldn't be that much longer," Naegi said as he showed him a brochure from the inn that everyone would be staying at and then pointed out the window. "See that forest? That's Aokigahara Forest and the inn we're staying at is just on its outskirts," Naegi explained.

"Wow, there are so many trees!" Mari exclaimed happily.

 _I wonder if this is their first time outside the city?_ Naegi wondered. Whether it was or not, he would make sure that they had many happy memories to take home with them. The "mini Owaris" as some of the members of Class 77-B and Class 78 had called them had grown on him in the short time he had known them.

The buses soon came to a stop, thankfully before Ataru asked if they had arrived again, and the teacher, the scout, the students, and the younger kids grabbed their luggage and made their way to inn's front desk. The inn was large, if Naegi hadn't known better he'd have thought that once it was a Japanese castle that had been converted into an inn. No one doubted that they would all be comfortable here for the next week.

"Welcome to Minato Inn, your port in the Sea of Trees! I'm the innkeeper, Mamiya Asuka! How may I help you?" a rather energetic woman asked.

"Hello Mamiya-san, I am Sonia Nevermind and we are the party from Hope's Peak Academy," Sonia said.

"Ah yes, you're fortunate to have made the reservations when you did otherwise we wouldn't have been able accommodate all of you," Mamiya said as she checked her records. She then looked at the group before looking back at her computer screen and said, "That's odd, I have honeymoon suite also reserved by Sonia Nevermind, but most of you are still children. Unless…," she trailed off as she looked at Kizakura and Yukizome.

"No, no, no, no, no! Absolutely not!" Yukizome shouted in embarrassment, and Naegi thought there was a bit of disgust mixed in.

It seemed that Naegi wasn't the only one who thought he heard disgust in Yukizome's voice as Kizakura joked, "Geez Yukizome, tell me how you really feel."

"I wonder how this happened then," Mamiya wondered aloud.

Three of the girls at least knew exactly how it had happened and those three glared at Sonia, who looked a little disappointed, her plan to be alone with her "destined one" having failed.

"Well, I'm afraid I can't cancel it at this point. Is there some way that you all could work this out?" Mamiya asked.

* * *

"I don't know how, but one of those lucky bastards is responsible for this," Souda groused as he and his roommate, Kuwata, tried to make the best of sharing the honeymoon suite. Souda would have been in a bad mood regardless of who his roommate was; before it had been decided that the boys would draw straws, Sonia had made one last attempt to get the room for her and her "destined one." The words "destined one" were still echoing in Souda's head.

"If that's true then I'm gonna go with Komaeda-senpai. Naegi-kun's luck only ever seems to affect him," Kuwata said. He wasn't happy about this either, he just knew the other guys would never let him forget this.

"How is this gonna work, there's only one bed?" Souda asked.

"I don't know, but when this week is over let's never speak of this again," Kuwata said.

To that, Souda just nodded so hard and so fast that Kuwata was amazed he didn't give himself whiplash.

* * *

Later that evening, the group decided to enjoy the open-air baths before bed. While the girls enjoyed themselves, Maizono decided to ask something that many of the girls who knew about Sonia's interests had been wondering since they learned that they would be staying at an inn near Aokigahara.

"Sonia-senpai this is very generous of you, but I've been wondering, did you pick this inn because Aokigahara is supposed to be haunted?" Maizono asked.

That question caused Owari to tense up. She had heard the stories about Aokigahara, but she had been trying not to think about it. She was hoping that there would be no test of courage. She wasn't sure she could think an excuse to get out of one if there was and she dreaded the thought of anyone knowing that she was afraid of ghosts, especially her siblings and her classmates. Naegi was the only one who knew about her fear as far as she knew, and she had every intention of keeping it that way.

"I must admit that the proximity to Aokigahara played a large role in my decision, There were many inns to choose from and all were rated very highly, but yes, I was hoping to see ghosts, I still am," Sonia said.

"G-g-ghosts?!" a male voice shrieked.

"Hagakure-kun, quiet. Don't do anything that will draw their attention," another male voice reprimanded. The girls of Class 77-B recognized that voice as belonging to Hanamura. It seemed that some of the boys were hoping to peep at them.

"You guys should be glad he drew their attention and ruined your dumbass plan. If you got caught you'd be dead," the voice of Kuzuryuu reprimanded.

"It probably wouldn't have worked anyway," Nidai's voice added.

"Just because their plan would have failed does not make it acceptable. We are representing our school and as such must not commit perverted acts!" Ishimaru shouted.

"Is the forest really haunted Mako-nii?" a young voice asked. Owari recognized it as her little brother Suguru.

"Supposedly it is, many people have taken their own lives in that forests. Recently local officials have stopped publicizing the numbers to try to decrease Aokigahara's association with suicide, but I don't know if it has made a difference since Aokigahara is already known as the Suicide Forest all over the world," Naegi's explained.

"I'm not scared, Akane-nii is tougher than any stupid ghost!" Ataru exclaimed.

"Ataru-chan, show some respect for the dead," Naegi said firmly. Not that any of the girls could see him, but at least four girls were picturing Naegi trying to look stern and finding the image amusing.

"Sorry Mako-nii," Ataru said.

"It's fine. Just remember, the people who died in that forest took their own lives, I think they deserve sympathy," Naegi said.

The girls heard Nidai ask, "You kids really admire your sister, don't you?"

"Yeah, we all want to be like Akane-nee," Sadaharu said. He probably would have gone on, but Suguru interrupted.

"Mako-nii. I'm tired," the five-year-old said sleepily.

"I guess it is a little late for you to be up, let's head in. Ataru-chan, you too" Naegi said.

"Ah Mako-nii, come on, just a little longer," Ataru complained.

"I'm sorry Ataru-chan, but kids your age need to be in bed early," Naegi said.

Ataru grumbled a bit but it sounded like the three boys got out of the water. The girls then heard a rustling followed by Ataru saying, "Catch me if you can Mako-nii."

"Ataru-chan! Give me my towel back!" Naegi yelled sounding mortified. The girls heard two sets of rapid footsteps a small set followed by a larger set. After a few minutes it seemed that Naegi managed to catch Ataru and get his towel back. "Ataru-chan, you know your sister is going to hear about this. I know you still want to play, but it's almost your bedtime," Naegi said sternly.

"Sorry Mako-nii," Ataru said in defeat. After that the girls heard three sets of footsteps head inside.

A moment of silence passed before the girls heard the voice of Togami say, "That was more of Naegi than I needed to see."

"So that's why the kid is always tripping. He always says it's clumsiness," the slightly tipsy voice of Kizakura said.

"I didn't want to say anything, but from what I've seen, his form while running always seemed off. I guess now we know why," Nidai's voice added.

"Can we please stop talking about it. It's bad enough that he's a chick magnet, now he has that going for him," the annoyed voice of Kuwata said.

"Some guys have all the luck," the girls heard Souda whine.

After that the girls stopped eavesdropping, but at least four of them made sure to remember what they heard at the end. Most of the girls were too embarrassed to say anything, at least if their red faces were any indication. Still there were those who couldn't leave well enough alone.

"That runt?" Saionji asked without a hint of irony. No one bothered to remind her that before her growth spurt she would have passed for an elementary school student.

"They say good things come in small packages. That small package apparently has a big package too," Enoshima responded. It wouldn't cause despair, but it was funny at least.

"Need I remind you girls that there are children present!" Yukizome reprimanded, although she wasn't faring any better than her students. It hadn't been long since she was a student herself after all. Still she had to act like the adult for Mari, Sayuri, and Natsuko at least. Thankfully, Mari seemed too young to understand what was happening, and if Sayuri and Natsuko did, they didn't show it.

Four girls in particular stayed silent, but their thoughts and feelings on the matter were soon clear.

"Sonia-san! Mioda-san! You're both bleeding!" Tsumiki shouted. It was true, they both had nosebleeds.

"Oh my, it would seem that Ikusaba-san and Maizono-san are too," Celes added. She was right, Ikusaba and Maizono had nosebleeds too.

"Excuse me!" all four girls shouted at once as they hurried out of the bath.

That had managed to break the tension. The girls probably weren't going to forget what they had heard anytime soon, but they were at least able to resume relaxing in the baths. Most of them at least, as Owari remembered what had kicked off the series of events on the mens' side that resulted in them hearing all about Naegi's "equipment." If it was time for Suguru and Ataru to go to bed then it was Mari's bedtime too.

"Naegi-kun had a point Mari, it's time for you to go to bed," Owari said to her youngest sister.

"Okay Akane-nee," Mari said, slightly disappointed that she couldn't stay up later.

There was one more bit of information to be gleaned from their time in the baths, but the only one who realized it was Enoshima. Enoshima knew that Owari was afraid of ghosts. Now that she knew for sure that Owari's siblings were unaware of that fact, a plan began to form in her mind. There would be a test of courage during their stay here, and she knew of three potential candidates. If things went well for her then perhaps the local officials would get their wish and Aokigahara would be known for something other than suicides.

* * *

 _Eleventh Week of Classes-Wednesday_

 _Minato Inn_

It was already evening in the middle of the week, which seemed to pass far too quickly for everyone's liking, as vacations are wont to do. Still, one particularly large group of guests decided not to dwell on that. They all found ways to occupy their time and relax. Some even formed bonds in the strangest ways.

Owada and Ishimaru, who had seemed like they would kill each other one day, had participated in an endurance contest at the inn's sauna. Somehow, Naegi had been the poor soul who had been picked to serve as witness and judge of that contest. A few hours in, Naegi had become so bored that he had fallen asleep only to be woken up by Owada and Ishimaru, who had finally gained respect for each other. No one was quite sure what had caused it, and given the odd behavior of the two participants, it was silently agreed that ignorance was bliss. It wasn't anything major, really, but something about a biker gang leader and a prefect going from bitter enemies to the best of friends in a few hours and then lecturing others on how they should not fight over petty matters just felt wrong.

That wouldn't be the strangest sight that Naegi, Owari, and the others would see though. Or rather, not see. Mari and Ataru had not been seen since dinner.

"Owari-senpai, have you seen Ataru?" Naegi asked.

"I was just coming to ask if you had seen Mari," Owari said. She tried not to show it, but Naegi knew she was worried.

"I'll go ask Mamiya-san and the other members of the staff if they've seen either of them. I hope they aren't outside, it's getting dark out," Naegi said as he headed towards the front desk.

* * *

Twenty minutes later and still nothing. Owari was now asking her other brothers and sisters if they knew anything.

"Do any of you know where those two went?" she asked trying not to sound worried. Most of the kids shook their heads or said that they hadn't. All except Suguru.

"I think they went into the forest Akane-nee," he said.

"What! Why?!" Owari asked, unable to keep her composure.

"Mari and Ataru wanted you and Mako-nii to think they were grown up enough to stay up with all of you. The three of us were thinking of ways to do that when we heard Enoshima-san talking with someone about tests of courage in the forest. Ataru and Mari said that if we showed everyone that we weren't afraid of ghosts then that would prove we were grown up. I didn't go because Mako-nii said we should respect the dead, but Mari and Ataru went into the forest right after dinner. They told me not to tell anyone, but I'm scared that something happened," Suguru said before he started crying.

"Dammit, I can't believe those two," Owari said in frustration. She knew she had to find those two, haunted forest or no haunted forest.

"Should we go get Mako-nii and everyone else?" Tatsunori asked.

"No. I've got this," Owari said. _I've got this, it's just a forest. A haunted forest, but it's still just a forest,_ Owari thought. Try as she might, she could not forget that Aokigahara was supposedly haunted even as she ran out of the inn and headed towards the forest.

* * *

It wasn't even ten minutes later when Naegi came back from speaking with the members of the staff. No leads, not that he was surprised, the staff couldn't be expected to know where every guest was at any given time. Naegi was trying to think of what to do next when he heard a child crying. Never one to ignore someone in need, he headed towards the crying and heard a familiar voice.

"It's okay Suguru-chan. Akane-nee will bring Ataru and Mari back soon."

 _That's Natsuko-chan's voice,_ Naegi thought. "Bring them back from where?" Naegi asked as he entered the room.

"Mako-nii!" Suguru cried as he ran to Naegi and latched onto his leg.

"Where is Owari-senpai bringing Ataru-chan and Mari-chan from exactly?" Naegi asked. He was starting to get worried, a crying child was never a good sign at times like this.

"Ataru and Mari went into the forest after dinner and Akane-nee went after them about ten minutes ago," Sayuri answered.

"I'm sure they're fine, Aokigahara is pretty big, even Akane-nee might not find them right away," Sadaharu said. He was trying to keep everyone's spirits up, but Naegi could tell how worried he was.

 _That's true, but there's something else working against her,_ Naegi thought, as he remembered that Owari was afraid of ghosts. "Did Owari-senpai take a flashlight with her?" Naegi asked. It was a dumb question, at least he thought it was, but he wasn't going to tell these kids that he was going to go help their sister because she was afraid of ghosts.

"We didn't see her take one," Tatsunori said, while the other kids nodded in agreement.

"Okay, you kids go tell Mamiya-san and everyone from Hope's Peak what is going on. I'm going to grab a flashlight and go help your sister," Naegi said. He freed his leg from Suguru's grip and said to the small child, "Everything is going to be alright, I'll find your sister and then the two of us will bring Mari-chan and Ataru-chan back safe and sound."

"Promise?" Suguru said, calming down a bit.

"I promise," Naegi said with a reassuring smile before heading to his room. _Good thing Sonia-senpai told me we were coming here. I hadn't planned on going into the forest, I just brought this to enhance the atmosphere if we told ghost stories. Funny how things turn out sometimes,_ Naegi thought as he pulled a flashlight out from among his belongings and headed outside and towards Aokigahara.

* * *

Aokigahara was known for being a particularly quiet forest, mostly due to it having a small number of animals. While that might have been fine during the day, it only served to make what was believed by some to be a haunted forest that much more terrifying at night. If the sun had been out at least there was a chance to see where an unexpected noise had come from. That was not the case at night, as Owari had soon discovered.

Snap!

"What was that," Owari said as she looked around frantically. When she didn't see anything she slapped her cheeks a few times and thought, _C'mon Akane, Mari and Ataru are in here. Get it together._ She began calling out for them.

"Ataru! Mari! Where are you?!"

Aokigahara may not have had many animals, but that did not mean there weren't any. Bats made this forest their home and they were hunting for their next meal. Owari had no way of knowing this, so when she heard a squeaking sound she panicked again and took off running.

She wasn't running for long before she stopped and dropped to her knees. Tears she had held back for years had begun to force their way out. _Don't cry, no one is going to come and help you no matter how much you cry,_ she told herself _._ It didn't do any good, the tears started falling as she said, "Mari, Ataru, I'm sorry. Akane-nee is weak."

"No you aren't," a voice said.

"Huh?" Owari looked up and saw Naegi through her tears.

"Owari-senpai, you're one of the strongest people I know, but even you can't do everything yourself. You've had to do so much on your own, but things are different now. Last time we talked about this, I wanted to let you know that just because no one helped you in the past doesn't mean they won't help you now. I may not have been clear back then so let me say this now. I will help you Senpai, whenever you need me. All you have to do is ask," Naegi said as he held out his hand to help Owari to her feet.

The tears didn't stop, but they were no longer tears of sadness and frustration. That warmth Owari felt from Naegi returned as soon as she grabbed his hand, pulled herself to her feet and embraced Naegi. _He's so warm, almost like the sun. He came to help. I was crying, and someone came to help me,_ she thought. "Naegi-kun, I need your help," she said as she began to calm down.

"I'd be more than happy to help Senpai," Naegi said as he rubbed her back to calm her down. Owari seemed to have forgotten about the difference in height between the two, but Naegi knew now was not the time to get flustered.

"Senpai, I'm sorry," Naegi said suddenly.

"Huh? For what?" Owari asked. To her knowledge, Naegi hadn't done anything wrong.

"About what I said a few weeks ago. I mean I stand by it, you don't have to do things alone, but I realize that neither way is really wrong, they're just different attitudes," Naegi explained

"No, I-I get what you were tryin' to say. When everyone's together, they can make up for their weakness... That's what you meant, right?" Owari asked.

Naegi nodded and said, "You're strong Senpai. Like I said, you're one of the strongest people I know. That won't change just by accepting someone's help."

"The Old Man said somethin' similar. But I didn't understand so I didn't listen, but I understand now. Your words make sense to me," Owari said after she had released Naegi from the embrace but didn't let go of his hand.

"I'm glad. Now let's go find those two," Naegi said as led Owari by the hand through the woods.

* * *

"Mari! Ataru!" Owari called out as she and Naegi made their way deeper into Aokigahara. It seemed like they had been walking for a long time, even though it had only been ten minutes. "Where are they?" she asked out loud, even though she knew Naegi couldn't answer.

"I don't think two small children could have made it too far," Naegi said, thankful that the children in question were only six and seven. Still, if the children had managed to get all the way to Mt. Fuji, he and Owari would have to be ready to explore the caves. Pushing that thought aside, he called out, "Mari! Ataru! It's Mako-nii and Akane-nee! Where are you!?"

"Akane-nee! Mako-nii!" a young girl's voice called out. The two of them heard the sound of a child running towards them and soon Owari Mari was in front of them, looking sad and scared.

"Mari-chan, thank goodness you're alright. Is Ataru close by?" Naegi asked as Owari embraced her younger sister.

"We thought we heard a ghost and started running. Ataru tripped and fell into some thorns. He says it hurts to move," Mari said as she started crying.

"Where is he?" Owari asked, any relief she felt from seeing Mari had disappeared when she heard about Ataru.

"I'll show you," Mari managed to say through her sobbing and hiccupping.

After a short walk they came across Ataru who was sitting against a tree. He was scratched up, and although it looked painful, he wasn't in any serious danger.

"Ataru, Akane-nee and Mako-nii are here," Mari told her brother.

"Are you okay to walk back Ataru-chan?" Naegi asked.

"Mako-nii, it really hurts," Ataru said as he started crying.

"Can you hold onto me?" Naegi said as he crouched down to give Ataru a piggyback ride.

"Here, let me help," Owari said as she picked up her brother who then latched onto Naegi. Once he was properly situated, Naegi stood up. Somehow, he managed to carry Ataru will holding the flashlight he had brought in one hand and while Owari grabbed onto the other.

Whether it was because she wasn't afraid of ghosts when she held Naegi's hand or because of the warmth he gave off, Owari didn't know and she didn't care either. Since meeting up with Naegi she had not let go of his hand until he had to pick up Ataru and she had no plans to let go until they were out of Aokigahara Forest. Owari caught herself thinking that if it were not for Ataru's scratches, she wouldn't mind being lost for a little while. Those thoughts were interrupted when Mari grabbed onto Owari's free hand and the four of them started walking back the way they came.

* * *

It wasn't long before they found the path and made their way out of Aokigahara to find their friends and most of the Inn's staff preparing to go into Aokigahara.

"Now I know it's dark, but we have two missing children in the forest. Their sister and a young man are looking for them-," Mamiya was saying to everyone, before Naegi interrupted her.

"Actually Mamiya-san, we've found them. Ataru-chan has a bunch of scratches, but otherwise everything is alright now," he said.

"Thank goodness," Mamiya said letting out a sigh of relief.

As the gathered staff started to disperse, Tsumiki came forward and said, "I c-can patch u-up Ataru-chan. B-bring him inside."

* * *

Once the group from Hope's Peak had gone inside, Tsumiki set to work. "And that should do it," Tsumiki said as she stepped back not even four minutes later. Ataru's scratches had been cleaned and bandaged, and both he and Mari had calmed down.

"So, he's okay?" Owari asked.

"I feel much better Akane-nee," Ataru said.

"Good," Owari said as she then smacked Ataru and Mari upside their heads.

"Ow!" Mari cried as she rubbed the back of her head.

"That hurt Akane-nee," Ataru wailed as he did the same as Mari.

"Good, I'm glad. Maybe you two won't do something so stupid ever again. Do either of you know what would have happened if Suguru hadn't said anything?" Owari asked.

"Sorry Akane-nee," they both said, looking at the floor in shame.

"Akane-nee, why are you still holding Mako-nii's hand?" Suguru asked.

Four sets of eyes glared at the linked hands. Sonia, Mioda, Maizono, and Ikusaba had been so worried about Ataru and Mari and so relieved when they had been found that they hadn't noticed until Suguru had mentioned it.

Owari looked at her hand and, sure enough, her hand was still in Naegi's. She was not looking forward to telling her family that this started because she was scared. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to.

"Your sister was helping me. I was so worried about Mari-chan and Ataru-chan that I ran into the forest before I remembered that I'm afraid of ghosts," Naegi said with a laugh as he rubbed the back of his head, trying to look embarrassed.

Owari blushed at that, first he cooked for her family, then he helped her find her brother and sister, and now he was helping her save face in front of them. _He's so awesome,_ she thought. She remembered something that Mari had asked, _"Akane-nee, are you gonna marry Mako-nii someday?" You know something, that sounds pretty good._

"I guess Mako-nii isn't as cool as I thought," Ataru said. That earned him another smack from Owari. "Ow! What did I do that time?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"That's for being rude. Naegi-kun had done a lot for us, so show him some respect. Besides, everyone's afraid of something," Owari lectured.

"Even you Akane-nee?" Suguru asked.

"Yeah, even me. But I can still be brave because I have a lot of people who will help me when I get scared," Owari said. _I just refused to accept that until tonight,_ she added mentally.

"So Akane-nee and Mako-nii are still cool, even if they can get scared?" Suguru asked.

"Do you think we're cool Suguru-chan?" Naegi asked as he knelt down to get eye level with Suguru.

"Akane-nee and Mako-nii are the coolest!" Suguru exclaimed without hesitation.

"There's your answer than," Naegi said with a smile as he ruffled Suguru's hair. After he stood up he said, "Come on kids, time for bed."

"Yes Mako-nii," the younger voices said as Owari's three youngest siblings followed Naegi who had been tucking them in every night since they arrived at the inn. Owari's other four siblings just made their way to their rooms, but all seven were ready to put tonight behind them.

Owari was about to head to bed too, when Ikusaba came up to her and asked, "Owari-senpai, can we talk for a bit in my room?"

"Are you finally ready to fight me Ikusaba-san?" Owari asked, her fatigue forgotten.

"Actually there is something we need to discuss," Sonia said as Mioda and Maizono nodded in agreement.

Once the five of them arrived in the room that Maizono, Mioda, Ikusaba, and Sonia shared, something they had agreed to in order to keep their eyes on each other, Sonia asked, "Before we begin Owari-san, how would you feel about being Naegi-kun's mistress?"

"Huh?" Owari asked. If she wasn't confused before, she was now.

"Don't mind Sonia-chan, Akane-chan," Mioda said.

"She made us that offer too, and we turned it down," Maizono added.

"It is a very generous offer, I am agreeing to share my future husband with all of you," Sonia defended.

"Future husband?" Owari questioned nervously, if Naegi was already taken then there wasn't much she could do.

"What Sonia-senpai means is that we all feel the same way about Naegi-kun as you do. Thanks to his living situation he can't pursue a romantic relationship, but…," Ikusaba started to explain.

"Oh, I get'cha," Owari said with a feral smile. The other girls briefly wondered what exactly Owari "got" before she charged at them.

Maizono, Mioda, and Sonia grabbed onto each other while screaming in terror, when Owari got that look she was like a rampaging beast and they knew it. Ikusaba, who had experience with sudden attacks, charged to meet Owari and wrestled her to the floor. Once Owari had realized she couldn't overpower the Ultimate Soldier she calmed down and Ikusaba finished what she had been trying to tell her.

Owari had listened, but still said, "My way would have been faster and more fun."

That got a laugh out of all the girls present. It was nice to know that they could be love rivals and still be friends.

* * *

 _Eleventh Week of Classes-Saturday_

 _Minato Inn_

The day had come, the day when the group from Hope's Peak Academy and Owari's family had to return home. They had wished that they could have stayed longer, but they had to go back to being students at some point.

Naegi was helping Ataru and Suguru get their things together when he bumped into someone. That someone was Nidai Nekomaru.

Nidai had noticed how Owari had been acting towards Naegi and put two and two together. While it may not have been his place to interfere, his classmates were like one of his teams and he cared about their well-being. Owari was one of his favorites because of how hard she was willing to work to improve herself. While he still believed Kuzuryuu's and Tanaka's assessments of Naegi as a good person, he wanted to check for himself.

"Hey Naegi-kun, when you and Owari-san get back to the Academy could you come see me? There's something we need to discuss," Nidai said.

"Okay," Naegi said, slightly confused.

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _I'm still not clear on what Nidai-senpai wanted. He asked me questions about Owari-senpai and when we were done he just smiled and nodded,_ Naegi thought as he remembered his conversation with Nidai after he and Owari had taken her brothers and sisters home.

"Hey Naegi-kun, this isn't for a while yet, but would you come to the lil' ones' sports day? They'd really like to see you there," Owari said. _I'd like that too,_ she thought as she blushed.

"Sure, I'd be more than happy to go. I'll make us all lunch," Naegi said with a smile.

Owari blush didn't fade as she started drooling. Even if she had to share him with her brothers and sisters, she'd still get Naegi without her rivals around, and now he had promised to make lunches for them too. Wiping her mouth, Owari pulled Naegi into another hug.

Naegi had gotten used to it, so Owari's hugs didn't fluster him like they used to. What he didn't know was that Owari was very much aware of the difference in height, now she did this to try to get an advantage over the other girls. _It's not cheating, I'm just playing to my strengths,_ she reasoned.

What Owari forgot was that in addition to Ogami and Nidai, one of her rivals, Asahina Aoi, was present too. She was more than capable of rivaling Owari's "strengths." That isn't what she did however as she tugged on Naegi's sleeve to get his attention and said, "Naegi-kun would you come to Yuta's sports day too, he really wants to see you again."

"I knew that Naegi-kun had met your brother Asahina-san, but I was unaware that they were that close," Ogami said.

By this time, Owari had released Naegi so she could devote all of her energy to glaring at Asahina. Naegi did not notice this and said, "Yeah, I met Yuta-kun when Komaru and I ran into Asahina-san a while ago and the four of us meet up for lunch when we can. Now that I think about it, I seemed to meet up with Asahina-san a lot back then."

"Is this related to that morning Naegi-kun wouldn't talk about?" Nidai asked. That was still something he and the other boys of Class 77-B and Class 78 wondered about.

Naegi and Asahina both turned red form embarrassment before Naegi started stuttering, "W-well, a-about t-t-that…"

* * *

 **Want to know what happened, you'll have to come back next chapter to find out.**

 **Ah, another chapter done. I think this one is pretty good. I just hope I kept Akane in character. She did freak out in her free time event when she thought she saw a ghost, so I guess I got that right. And she seems pretty stubborn. Yeah, I think I'm okay.**

 **Jokes about sizes, I probably shouldn't have done that but I couldn't resist, it just seemed too funny.**

 **I didn't forget to write Junko's reaction. I just thought maybe I should save the reactions for her chapter from now on. Don't worry, I have a plan.**

 **For all of you Kazuichi and Leon fans, I'm gonna give those two a break, I just wanted to mess with them one last time before I did. I was thinking I could have put Mondo and Taka, Hifumi and Teruteru, or Byakuya and the Imposter (with Byakuya mask) in the room together, but the first one is too obvious and the other two sound like ideas that could be given their own chapters. Could you imagine Hifumi and Teruteru beginning to disgust each other with their perverted tendencies? I sort of can.**

 **Oh man, JK businesses. Did you ever learn about something you'd just like to forget? That's how I feel about learning about all the ways underage girls can be exploited. I know it isn't just Japan, don't get me wrong, but for the purposes of this chapter I limited myself to just Japan.**

 **I thought linking Makoto's outrage at the men who harassed Akane to that perverted teacher who watched Komaru sleep was a pretty good idea. That is the kind of thing that leaves a lasting impression on not just the victim or almost victim (I hope that doesn't sound like I'm making light of situations like that, it's just that, canonically, he apparently just apologized and left after Komaru woke up), but the whole family so I would imagine Makoto has some very strong feelings on the subject.**

 **In case anyone is wondering, Akane's siblings' names were taken from Kinnikuman characters. I know that she likes Dragon Ball, she mentions it twice in SDR2, but I couldn't get too many names out of that, so I went for another series that involves fighting and power levels. And once I did that, I had to include the "Gyudon Ondo" the jingle Makoto sang to the kids. I didn't have him do the dance, don't worry. Look it up on YouTube to see what I mean.**

 **Should I keep having Sonia ask the new girls if they want to be Naegi's mistresses or has that joke run its course?**

 **Once again, I thank Pupla for all the help he has given me when coming up with ideas. And I'd like to thank both Pupla and KnightSpark for proofreading this chapter. I hope I didn't make too much work for you two.**

 **On another note, I got three reviews about the Danganronpa-Destiny idea and all of them wanted idea three (Naegi was brought back as a Guardian and his Ghost gets sent back in time to before the Tragedy). So after Forsaken and the Lore Book come out I'll see what I can do about a test chapter or two.**

 **Before that though, Aoi Asahina is next. I hope you'll all come back for that chapter.**

 **Read and review and I'll see you next time.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Swimmer

* * *

 **Hello again, oh reader, mine, and welcome back to another chapter of "Everyday Life with Ultimate Girls."**

 **It's the moment you've all been waiting for: Aoi Asahina's chapter. What did our Luckster see that Tuesday morning? Well, now you'll know, and I hope you'll like it.**

 **A very special guest may appear in this chapter, not a Danganronpa character, but a character who shares Aoi's love of ramen (not Naruto, but that's a good guess) (Hint: he likes chickens).**

 **To the Guest Reviewer who left that note about the Mikan chapter: I'd like to address what you wrote at the end of the chapter. Don't worry, I think you'll like what I have to say, so please stick around.**

 **Well, I think I've addressed all I need to address, so let's get started.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

Naegi and Asahina were both still attempting to form coherent sentences after Nidai asked his question. Naegi would have appreciated if Owari had not mentioned it at all back then, but given her life, Naegi did not blame her. He had also hoped that those not involved would have forgotten that anything had happened. He wished that he had forgotten it, not because it was unpleasant, but because it was a source of embarrassment for himself and Asahina.

Asahina wasn't faring much better. _How does Nidai-senpai know about…Owari-senpai, of course. Dammit, learn to feel shame,_ Asahina thought as she cursed her senpai. Asahina knew that Owari never meant any harm, but right now that hardly made her situation any less embarrassing.

Thankfully, they both had an ally in the form of Ogami Sakura. "Nidai-senpai, I believe that is something both Naegi-kun and Asahina-san would like to forget, perhaps it is best to respect their wishes," Ogami suggested.

"Yeah, it does seem to be making them uncomfortable. I guess I can live with not knowing," Nidai said as he attempted to let the matter drop.

Owari, however, did not pick up on why it was making the two uncomfortable and asked, "What's the big deal? Naegi-kun just saw you without-,"

"Owari-senpai, could we please not talk about that?" Naegi begged. _I managed, but it was still difficult to look Asahina-san in the eye for a while after that_ , he thought.

"Y-yeah, it's just too embarrassing," Asahina managed to say. _I wish that hadn't been my first big memory with Naegi-kun, but I guess even something like that can be special. I wonder, if that hadn't happened, would I still be trying to become something I'm not0?_ Asahina thought as she reflected on her memories of the Luckster, embarrassing moments and all.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Tuesday_

It was a little before 5:00 A.M. Tuesday morning and Naegi was taking out the trash. He usually wasn't up this early, but he figured since he was, he might as well get an early start. After finishing with the trash, he began to head back inside to think about what to make for breakfast, when he heard a window open and a voice speak.

"Okay, time to get fired up for a new day!"

Naegi realized the voice belonged to his classmate Asahina Aoi. Being polite, Naegi looked upward to greet her. "Good morning, Asahin-AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Naegi began to scream. Standing at the window of her room, with the light on making her that much more visible, was a topless Asahina Aoi with a towel in her hands.

Asahina heard Naegi, looked down, and screamed, "EEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK!"

* * *

"Okay, explain it to me again," Yukizome said. She and the girls had woken up and instead of the sound of breakfast cooking, they heard Naegi apologizing to Asahina over and over in the dorm's common area. After managing to get answers out of the two deeply embarrassed students, Yukizome and the girls were still as confused as they were at the beginning.

Naegi, face still red from embarrassment, explained, "I woke up early and took out the trash. I heard a window open and heard Asahina-san's voice. After that, well, I didn't mean to-."

"I understand that Naegi-kun," Yukizome interrupted. She then turned to Asahina and asked, "Asahina-san, why did you open your window when you were naked from the waist down?"

"Actually, back home, I did it every morning. I just strip down to my waist, then take a dry towel and start rubbing down my bare skin," Asahina meekly admitted, looking at the floor.

"You do a towel treatment every morning?" Yukizome asked for clarification.

"Yeah, I loved going out on my apartment balcony, stripping down, feeling the wind on my skin... I would never let a morning pass without getting in a good rubdown. Since we don't have a balcony here, I had to make do with opening my window," Asahina said, still not able to meet anyone's gaze.

"Wait, so you went out on your balcony, and... stripped down? And you were okay with that?" Koizumi asked, incredulously. None of the other girls could really blame her, even if they did admit that it sounded like a very "Asahina" thing to do.

"Someone was popular with her neighbors," Saionji joked. Needless to say, that earned her a glare from Ogami.

That served to embarrass Asahina further. _Oh God, who else has seen me? I thought I got up early enough that no one would. Why didn't I think of that before I started doing it?_ she thought, not sure she could look her neighbors in the eye anymore.

Naegi turned to Asahina and tried to apologize again, but still had trouble looking at her and forming sentences, "Asahina-san, I never meant to… I mean, I didn't know that… I promise I'll be more careful from now on, this won't happen again." _I'm probably going to get expelled for this if someone reports me to the Headmaster. I guess I can't blame them, even if it was an accident,_ Naegi thought. He needn't have worried.

"Well, since it just seems like bad timing, I guess we can put it behind us," Yukizome said, much to Naegi's shock.

"None of you are going to report me?" Naegi asked in disbelief. He had already been wondering if he would even be allowed to finish up the week at Hope's Peak Academy and now, he was finding out that he wasn't in trouble.

"Naegi-kun, all of us, especially those of us that are your classmates, know about your luck," Ogami said.

"If you were going to peep at Asahina-san, you wouldn't have announced yourself," Koizumi said.

"Makoto-chan is no pervert, he wouldn't do something like this on purpose," Mioda said as Ikusaba and Maizono nodded in agreement.

"Can we eat now?" Owari asked, not really seeing what the big deal was about any of this.

"My, what an interesting start to the day," Celes added.

Relief washed over Naegi, but he still felt like there was something else he had to do. _I should still make this up to Asahina-san. She likes donuts, maybe it will be easier for me to apologize if I have some with me when I do,_ Naegi thought as he tried to remember where the nearest bakery was.

* * *

 _That Evening_

Dinner had come and gone, but Naegi was hoping that two of his dormmates would still have room for sweets. _A box for Asahina-san and a box for Owari-senpai, I hope they like the assortment. I wonder who I should talk to first?_ Naegi wondered as he looked for signs of his classmate and his senpai. He wasn't exactly sure what to say to either of them, but he had hope that he would when the time came. It would come rather soon, because he saw Asahina sitting in the dorm's common area. Naegi was slightly grateful that Ogami wasn't there, he was embarrassed enough by the morning's event, having someone there when he tried to make peace with Asahina might have been more than he could handle at the moment.

Steeling himself, he called out, "Asahina-san."

Asahina looked up, but when she saw it was Naegi, she suddenly took an interest in the floor. She wasn't mad at Naegi, she knew what had happened was an accident, but that didn't make her feel any less embarrassed. "H-hey Naegi-kun," she said shyly.

"Asahina-san, I wanted to apologize again for this morning," Naegi explained.

"It wasn't your fault. I know it was an accident," Asahina said, trying to make eye contact with Naegi, but unable to bring herself to do so.

"That's true, but I still feel like I owe you an apology. I really want to be friends with everyone and I can't do that if you and I are uncomfortable around each other," Naegi said. Uncomfortable was right, all of Class 78 noticed something different about the two of them. Asahina and Naegi might not have been particularly close, but they usually got along quite well. That was not the case today as they not only consciously tried to look anywhere but at each other, they also tried to put as much space between each other as possible. They both wanted to give each other space, but being classmates, that wasn't an easy thing to do. When the boys of Class 78 asked what was going on with the two of them, the best answer they got was for Naegi and Asahina to each turn into a blushing, stuttering mess.

"We're friends Naegi-kun, don't worry about that," Asahina said as she managed to regain some of her usual confidence. She managed to meet his gaze for a little bit before looking to the side. It was progress at least.

"Well, even so, I got you something. I thought I would have an easier time apologizing if I brought you donuts," Naegi said as he held out one of the boxes of baked goods.

"Donuts!" Asahina cheered, all embarrassment momentarily forgotten as she happily examined the contents of the box. Jelly donuts, cake donuts, plenty of frosting, sprinkles, and powdered sugar. "Ah, thanks Naegi-kun," Asahina said as she hugged the young man.

Naegi stiffened at the contact. He was happy he and Asahina could look at each other again, but he might need a couple days before things were back to normal between the two of them. _Not that either of us is likely to forget this morning,_ he thought.

As soon as Asahina let go of Naegi, she dug in to the box of donuts. It was hardly ladylike, but Asahina didn't care. Or rather, she wouldn't have cared, except she remembered Naegi was there. Between Naegi seeing her and Saionji's joke, Asahina had been particularly self-conscious today. With a blush on her cheeks she looked at Naegi expecting to see at least a little disgust. To her relief and surprise, she saw him smiling.

"I'm glad you like them Asahina-san, I was worried that I might have gotten some donuts you didn't like," Naegi said.

Looking shocked at such a suggestion, Asahina said, "I-impossible, no one on Earth - no, no one in the whole universe can say they hate donuts."

"I know I like donuts," Naegi said in agreement. _Maybe not as much as you do though,_ he silently added.

Asahina seemed to go off into her own fantasy world as she continued, "Think about the sensation of biting into a donut... First the sweetness floods your mouth, then the soft dough cushions you... Next you get that hint of egg and butter, right? Your whole body starts to melt... You feel like you're falling into the center of the donut itself! When people talk about the donut effective, that's what they're talking about...!"

"I don't believe that's true," Naegi said, trying not to bring down Asahina's mood, but attempting to correct her all the same.

"Ahh, I can't take it anymore! I'm drooling like Niagara Falls over here! I'm sorry Naegi-kun, but I can't hold back, I need to finish these donuts," Asahina declared.

"Well they are yours. I guess I should give Owari-senpai her box now," Naegi said.

"Owari-senpai?" Asahina asked coming out of her donut frenzy.

"She and I ended up in an unfortunate position today too. I'd prefer not to go into details," Naegi said as started blushing again.

"Everything will work out, no one can stay mad at someone who gives them donuts," Asahina chirped happily before she turned back to her box of donuts.

"I hope you're right Asahina-san. I'm glad we can look at each other again," Naegi said.

"Me too, I really like you Naegi-kun," Asahina said. When she realized what she had said, she blushed and began to try to explain, "I-I mean, not "like" like, but I think you're a really sweet guy. I-I mean, you're really nice."

Naegi just smiled and said, "I really like you too Asahina-san, I'm glad we can still be friends." With that, Naegi turned and left to go find Owari.

* * *

 _Downtown-Near Hope's Peak Academy_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Naegi was usually grateful for the half-days on Saturday, but no more so than today. Today, his sister, Komaru was visiting. He regretted that he couldn't spend as much time with his family as he did before he became a student at Hope's Peak, but they all understood that it came with being a student of the most prestigious school in the world.

Komaru missed her brother as much as he missed her and their parents, so today was already a great day in her book, no matter what happened. As a Sayaker, she was a little disappointed that she wouldn't get a chance to meet Maizono, but other than that, she had no complaints.

Given that this was set up at the last minute, Komaru's visit was not cleared with the school, so she couldn't receive a tour of the campus, but as with meeting Maizono, the Naegi siblings knew that there would be other chances.

 _I'm glad that I get to spend time with Komaru, but I wonder why she's asking all these weird questions,_ Naegi thought. It was true, Komaru hadn't stopped asking how her brother had been doing given his current living situation. Naegi thought he might have imagined it, but when he had mentioned his friendship with some of the girls, Komaru's questions seemed to get a little more…aggressive. Almost like she didn't trust these strange girls around her brother after doubting him. Naegi thought that it was strange considering that when this had all started, Komaru had laughed at him the moment she found out.

Thankfully that line of questioning stopped when Naegi decided to show Komaru around town. They had gotten to the shopping district just before Naegi saw a familiar face.

"Asahina-san!" Naegi called out with a wave.

"Naegi-kun?" Asahina asked as she turned and saw her friend.

"Aoi-nee, who is that?" a boy around Komaru's age, clearly Asahina's brother, asked.

"Yuta, this is my classmate, Naegi Makoto. Naegi-kun, this is my little brother, Yuta," Asahina introduced. Seeing Komaru, she asked, "Naegi-kun, is that your little sister?"

"Yeah, this is my little sister, Naegi Komaru," Naegi said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Wait, how do you spell 'Naegi?'" Yuta asked.

"It's really just spelled the way it sounds, N-A-E-G-I," Komaru said.

"Ah, thanks," Yuta said as he traced something on the palm of his hand.

"What are you doing Yuta-kun?" Naegi asked.

"You don't know? If you want to remember someone's name, you need to write it on your palm three times," Yuta explained as Asahina nodded in agreement.

 _Okay, that's a new one,_ Naegi thought. He decided it would be best not to question it. If it worked for the Asahina siblings, then who was he to argue? "I didn't know you had a brother Asahina-san," Naegi said.

"Did I forget to mention that?" Asahina asked with a contemplative look. She couldn't really remember if she had or she hadn't. Then, as if a lightbulb had gone off, she pounded he fist into her palm and said, "Now I remember, I was going to mention it during introductions, but the I got sidetracked when talking about those six sports clubs I used to belong to."

Yuta shook his head and said, "You are such a spaz, Nee-chan."

"Yuta!" Asahina shouted in embarrassment. It was one thing for Yuta to call her a spaz at home, not that she enjoyed it there either, but it was another to call her that in front of her friend.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not any better, but I always remember to mention you. You're my goal after all," Yuta said, sounding more like he was addressing a rival than his own sister.

"Are you an athlete too, Asahina-kun?" Komaru asked.

"Yep. I'm on my school's track and field team and while I may not be as good of a swimmer as Aoi-nee, I think I'm still pretty good!" Yuta proudly exclaimed.

"Hey Naegi-kun, as long as the four of us are together, how about we hang out downtown together?" Asahina suggested.

"Well, it's alright with me. How about you Komaru?" Naegi asked as he turned to his sister.

"Sounds like fun. I wanted to meet some of the Ultimates but didn't get permission to go on campus, so this works out," Komaru said. She did want to meet some of the Ultimates of Hope's Peak Academy, but more than that, she wanted to meet the girls her brother was living with. As Naegi Makoto's little sister, she had a responsibility, if you asked her, to make sure that those girls were good enough for her brother. Naegi hadn't mentioned being particularly close to Asahina, but Komaru knew there was a chance that could change.

"Alright, let's go!" Yuta shouted as he pumped a fist in the air and he and his sister took off.

Komaru was dumbfounded. "Aren't they the ones who invited us? Shouldn't they stay with us?" she asked.

"Komaru, if you want normal, you don't come to Hope's Peak," Naegi said as he grabbed his sister's hand and ran after the Asahina siblings.

* * *

It took a while for the Naegi siblings to catch the Asahinas. Naegi thought that maybe his friendship with Mioda had helped make him faster until he heard Asahina say, "Ahhh... so hungry..."

"Asahina-san, is everything alright?" Naegi asked even though he knew what the problem was.

"Naegi-kun, help me... I'm huuunnngrryyy...!" Asahina wailed.

"Aoi-nee, I'm hungry too, but you don't hear me whining," Yuta said before his stomach started to growl. He might not be whining, but his stomach sure was.

If Asahina heard her brother, she didn't show it as she continued, "I need food... Anything... I don't care if it's a stack of paper... Need foooood...!"

"Maybe there's a place we can get donuts close by," Naegi suggested.

"I can't! If I kept gorging on something with that many calories, I'd get fat in no time!" Asahina shouted, as if she was explaining something obvious for the millionth time.

 _So even she cares about that kind of thing. Well, she *is* an athlete,_ Naegi thought. He felt a little bad, but he had seen how much Asahina could eat, especially if donuts were involved.

"Besides, I don't want anything sugary. Right now, I want a salty snack..." Asahina trailed off.

"Like potato chips?" Komaru asked.

"Like ramen," Asahina said.

"I don't think that really qualifies as a snack," Komaru said.

"Huh? How is it not?" Yuta asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"Speaking of which... What's your favorite kind of ramen? Asahina asked.

"We're both partial to Shoyu," Naegi answered.

"Ah, good choice! Definitely the most refreshing option," Asahina said with a nod.

"What about you two? Asahina-san is worried about calories and you're both athletes, so..." Naegi started.

"We're porktastic tonkotsu fans through and through!" Asahina said happily.

 _Or you don't care about calories at all,_ Naegi thought _._ Naegi didn't mind though, this was who Asahina was and there was nothing wrong with it.

"The key element of any tonkotsu ramen is the butter and the extra fat," Yuta explained.

"If you want the best ramen in town, I happen to know a place," a new voice said. The group looked at the newcomer. He wore a hoodie with the hood up so no one could see his hair. He was a tall man with blue eyes. Had it not been for the newcomer's tone sounding rather jovial, the group of four might have been suspicious of him.

"Sorry, I couldn't help eavesdropping and when it comes to ramen, I feel the need to spread the word about this place. Spicy Ramen, once you eat there, no other place will do," the man said.

"Spicy Ramen?" Naegi asked.

"What can I say? A classy place for classy people. I'll try to make time to explain why Spicy Ramen is the one and only ramen shop that you and yours will ever want to eat at," the man began. Seeing that he had the group's attention, he continued, "First, the food. Those fresh golden noodles swimming in rich flavorful broth. There's something almost other worldly about that recipe. That combination of salt and the spice just—BAM!—hits you right in the mouth. And those pork dumplings? W-O-W! Don't get me started on those dumplings. Where did they even find the pork? And how about that ambiance? There's the downtown. Love the downtown. And the people walking around. Who doesn't like people?"

The group seemed to like what they were hearing so far, in fact the Asahinas started drooling.

The man went on to say, "Cons? Heard folks say the prices are a bit high. Look, I get it. Unlike yours truly, maybe you aren't sitting on a pile of money. If you need to scrape money together maybe we can work something out, I've got some caches that need to be found that are muy caliente… I'm getting sidetracked here. Look, if you know me, or know my chicken… well, maybe not the chicken, but if you know me—and trust me, I know me—you will love Spicy Ramen. Just tell them I sent you. Give them this coupon. I'm good for it." As he said that, he gave each of them a coupon, that was valid of one free bowl of ramen with a side of gyoza before he left.

"What a nice guy," Yuta said.

"I was nice of him to give us these coupons," Asahina added.

"Maybe not," Komaru said.

This got a confused, "Huh?" from both Asahinas.

Naegi held up his coupon, pointed to the valid date and said, "I don't know about any of you, but the one he gave me expired a few weeks ago.

* * *

Expired coupons or not, the group did go to Spicy Ramen. When the chef-owner had asked how they had heard of the place, the group told them about the man who gave them the expired coupons. A look of understanding crossed the man's face before he laughed and said, "Yeah, I know that guy. He's a little strange, but he means well. How about I give you kids a discount to make up for the trouble?"

"Are you sure sir?" Naegi asked.

"Yeah, you didn't give us these expired coupons," Asahina pointed out.

"No, but I always feel bad when he does this. I guess I feel a little responsible that my best customer is spreading the word about this place through expired coupons. I'll just add what I don't charge you to his tab," the owner said.

"I'd feel bad if you did that," Komaru said as her brother nodded in agreement. It sounded like the whole thing was an accident, and neither the Naegis or the Asahinas saw any reason to punish the man they met earlier since it seemed that he was trying to help.

"Don't worry about it, he did say he was good for it, didn't he?" the owner asked. After the group of four nodded, the owner said, "This happens a lot. He is good for it, and this is also why he says the ramen is a little pricey. I keep thinking he'll learn, but he doesn't." Since there didn't seem to be any more objections the owner asked, "Now, what can I get you kids?"

"Shoyu," Naegi said.

"I'll have shoyu too," Komaru added.

"Porktastic tonkotsu!" the Asahina siblings happily exclaimed.

"Coming right up. I'll even throw in a side of gyoza just like the coupons say," the owner said as he got to work.

"Hey Naegi-kun, do you think your luck had anything to do with this?" Asahina asked.

"I don't think so. My luck tends to be pretty bad," Naegi answered.

"It does, his misadventure before getting his invitation to Hope's Peak is proof of that," Komaru added.

"Komaru!" Naegi shouted, mortified at the thought of having to tell that story.

"What? You're the one who said the invitation made up for all the misery you went through that day," Komaru reminded him.

"What misery?" Asahina asked.

"Please no," Naegi begged.

"He didn't tell you? Well what happened was…" Komaru began as she went into excruciating detail about what Naegi called his "Worst Day Ever."

Asahina was listening to the story, but she noticed how red Naegi was getting. _Wow, I thought Yuta was bad, but Komaru-chan seems like a master at humiliating her brother. I hope nothing happens to Naegi-kun if he gets any redder,_ Asahina thought. She was glad when Komaru stopped talking, more for Naegi's sake than any dislike of the story. In fact, she thought the story was good, it had everything: stolen jewels, a hostage situation, a police chase, and a happy ending. That being said, she didn't think it was worth humiliating her friend for.

"That was pretty bad Makoto-nii," Yuta said when Komaru had finished.

"The funniest part was when he called and told us that he had been placed in the Girls' Dorm by mistake," Komaru said while trying to stifle her laughter.

"It wasn't funny for me, most of the girls treated me like public enemy number one for that and it wasn't even my fault," Naegi stated.

"It all seems to be working out though," Asahina pointed out.

"That's true. You didn't seem thrilled with the idea, but you at least considered giving me a chance Asahina-san, I appreciated it," Naegi said.

Asahina's cheeks turned red before she looked down bashfully and said, "N-no p-problem, Naegi-kun."

Komaru recognized the beginning of a crush when she saw one but figured she could let it go for now. Asahina seemed nice enough, and maybe those feelings would fade. If the crush lasted long enough, then Komaru would have a chat with Asahina and the other girls her brother had mentioned. Getting back to the topic of her brother's luck, Komaru said, "I think Asahina-san is right Onii-chan, this is probably because of your luck."

"How do you figure?" Yuta asked, honestly curious.

"Well, we got ramen at a discount even though we were given expired coupons, that's a little too strange of a coincidence to happen to most people," Komaru explained.

"But didn't Makoto-nii say his luck tended to be bad?" Yuta asked.

"For him it is, he's going to feel guilty that our discount is going to be added to that guy's tab for at least the rest of the day. So really, our ramen is costing him his peace of mind, even though the owner told us that this happens a lot," Komaru explained.

Naegi wanted to refute that even though he knew Komaru was right, he did feel bad that the man who had given them coupons was going to be partially charged for their ramen, it was just how he was.

Komaru knew that too, and although she would never admit it, her brother's kind heart was one of the reasons she looked up to him. Before she could say she was just teasing him though, Asahina spoke up first.

"How about if we run into that guy again, we'll just give him the money? Would that make you feel better Naegi-kun?" Asahina asked.

Komaru was impressed. Not only did Asahina also have a kind heart, but it sounded like she understood that his kindness was one of Naegi's best qualities. She still wasn't sure this girl was good enough for her brother though.

Before Naegi could answer, the ramen had arrived and with a chorus of "Itadakimasu!" the four enjoyed their "snack."

* * *

After enjoying their ramen and a little more sightseeing, Naegi realized that he would soon have to head back to the dorm to prepare dinner. Both Komaru and Yuta had to be heading home as well so the group made one last trip together to the train station. On the way, it was agreed that the four of them had to do this again sometime. Once both younger siblings had safely boarded their train, Asahina and Naegi made their way back to Hope's Peak Academy.

"Thanks for spending time with Komaru and me today, Asahina-san, she really enjoyed it and so did I," Naegi said.

"Well thank you for spending time with me and Yuta, we both had lots of fun too!" Asahina happily exclaimed.

"What should the four of us do next time?" Naegi asked.

Asahina adopted a thinking pose as she walked and said, "I'm not really sure, maybe we should AAHH!" While she was thinking, Asahina had stopped paying attention to where she had been going and tripped. Naegi had tried to catch her and she had tried to catch herself, but the result was her falling in such a way that she ended up spraining her ankle.

"Ooowww!" Asahina hissed.

"I'm so sorry Asahina-san, if I had caught you this wouldn't have happened," Naegi said sadly.

"It's not your fault, you did try to catch me," Asahina said with a reassuring smile. _I just need to see Tsumiki-senpai when we get back, but it really hurts to put weight on it,_ the swimmer thought.

"Let me see," Naegi said.

"Huh?" Asahina questioned.

"I'm not Tsumiki-senpai, but maybe I can do something that will make the trip back less painful," Naegi said as he pulled out a handkerchief.

Asahina seemed a little shocked to see this side of Naegi but complied. _He's pretty cute when he takes charge,_ she thought. After removing her shoe and her sock, Naegi examined her ankle. Asahina was glad that Naegi was focused on her ankle, because having Naegi touching her caused her face to heat up.

"Yeah, Tsumiki-senpai should be able to fix this up in no time at all, but until then…" Naegi trailed off as he tied his handkerchief into a makeshift brace for Asahina. Satisfied that it would work, Naegi replaced Asahina's sock and shoe for her, which had the effect of making Asahina's face redder. "Okay, try to keep weight off of it on the way back. You should probably lean on me," Naegi said as he offered Asahina his shoulder.

Asahina, who had just gotten her blush under control, turned red once again. "O-okay," she said as she leaned into Naegi. _This feels nice,_ Asahina thought as she latched onto Naegi for extra support.

The two continued on their way, and although the pain was still there, Asahina was preoccupied with a different feeling. Once they reached the main gate, Naegi asked, "Are you alright, Asahina-san?"

Asahina had actually slipped off into her own little world without noticing and Naegi's question had just brought her back to reality. "Huh? Oh, I'm okay. I feel pretty good all things considered," Asahina said. _I'm also really happy. Not sure why though,_ she thought.

Before the Naegi and Asahina arrived at the dorm, they met up with Ogami. After explaining what happened, Ogami picked up Asahina and carried her the rest of the way. Asahina was grateful that her best friend cared about her so much, but for reasons she didn't quite understand, she found herself missing Naegi's warmth.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Track Field_

 _Seventh Week of Classes-Monday_

Naegi didn't really have a strong opinion one way or the other about P.E. He never stood out, but he never performed badly either. His results were average through and through. He wouldn't have minded doing better, but he could live with these results. There was something about this class that bothered him today though. One look at Asahina was all anyone needed to see how upset she was that she couldn't participate.

When Tsumiki had finished treating Asahina's ankle, the nurse had told Asahina, Ogami, and Naegi that although Asahina would be back to normal soon enough, but as it was a Grade 1 sprain, the swimmer needed to refrain from anything that would strain her ankle further for the next two to six weeks. To that end, Tsumiki wrote an excuse to get Asahina out of P.E. For good measure she gave copies to Ogami and Naegi, a wise decision because Asahina did not give the teacher the excuse Tsumiki had written for her. She was upset, but both Naegi and Ogami had managed to convince her that it was for her own good. That didn't keep Asahina from making her frustration apparent to anyone who looked her way though.

Hoping that he could help his friend and classmate, Naegi went over to Asahina and asked, "Asahina is there something I can do for you?"

After giving a frustrated sigh, Asahina said, "I've reached my limit... With my ankle like this I can't do any sports! I can't do anything! I'm sick of it! I wanna get out there and do some laps! Run a marathon! I wanna do some real SPORTS!"

Naegi realized that he probably should have been prepared for that but Asahina's outburst still caught him off guard. He composed himself enough to say, "A-asahina-san. Please calm down. Getting worked up won't help."

If Asahina heard him, she didn't show it as she continued, "I can't do ANYTHING right now! If I can't move around, I'm gonna DIE, like a BUNNY RABBIT!"

"But... I always heard rabbits die from loneliness..." Naegi said. He wasn't even sure why he said that. Maybe Asahina was starting to rub off on him.

"Whatever! I'm gonna die if I can't get some proper physical activity!" Asahina shouted.

"Don't you think that's a little extreme?" Naegi asked.

"You think I'm kidding, don't you? But I seriously can't sit still, ya know? Why else would I have joined six sports teams in school?" Asahina asked. She continued, "If I can't move, I'll just shrivel up and die. And I need a challenge! More and more new stuff to try!

"A challenge?" Naegi asked, confused.

Asahina calmed down a bit and explained, "What I really love about sports isn't winning, ya know? It's having to fight and struggle and give it all you got to reach the top. It's that excitement, that fear that you might suffer a heartbreaking loss. When you finally reach that goal, it's just... lonely. It's lonely at the top, ya know?"

 _I never really got into sports, so I can't really relate to what she's talking about... But I can tell that the reason Asahina-san is so amazing is because of how hard she can fight and struggle,_ Naegi thought as his already high opinion of Asahina improved even more.

"So that's why I want to push myself as hard as possible when it comes to swimming. I want to aim for the very highest mountaintop!" Asahina exclaimed.

"The highest mountaintop?" Naegi repeated in confusion.

"I'm talkin' about the gold medal, of course! Aim for the gold, even if it means I'm a super gold spaz!" Asahina clarified excitedly.

 _Didn't she get mad at her brother for calling her a spaz as recently as two days ago?_ Naegi asked himself. Pushing that thought aside, Naegi then asked,"Okay, but if that's what you want, isn't that all the more reason? If you have a goal, why are you making excuses?"

"Excuses? Hey! When did I ever make any excuses!?" Asahina asked indignantly. _What does he want from me, I can't put too much strain on my ankle,_ Asahina thought.

"Sure, you are limited in what you can do with that sprained ankle, but if you really want to make an effort, shouldn't you try to see what you *can* do?" Naegi asked.

"Nng...! Th-That's a challenge! You just made an official challenge!" Asahina exclaimed. She then conceded, "But... I think you're right. If I want to get that gold medal, I have to make every effort I can. I want to become a "genius of effort"! I bet Ian Thorpe said something like that!"

"That's great Asahina-san. Tell you what, when we get the chance, let's go find Nidai-senpai and Tsumiki-senpai. I'll bet that they know a bunch of exercises you can do, even with that sprain," Naegi said.

"Y-you'd do that for me?" Asahina asked as her cheeks erupted with a blush.

"Of course, if it will make you happy," Naegi answered simply. _After hearing about Asahina's motivations and goals, I'm getting fired up to help her,_ Naegi thought.

That just caused Asahina to turn an even darker shade of red as she stuttered out, "O-ok-okay. T-thank y-y-you." _He really is the sweetest thing,_ Asahina thought.

"Oh, and Asahina-san, we should probably confirm it with Nidai-senpai or Tsumiki-senpai, but I've heard that as long as the swelling isn't too bad, swimming is great exercise for someone with a sprained ankle," Naegi added.

Asahina's smile upon hearing that was brighter than the sun. _I can still swim. That's great!_ She mentally cheered. She couldn't wait to find Nidai and Tsumiki. Once classes had finished, she and Naegi scoured the campus for their seniors. Asahina was overjoyed for two reasons. The two had said swimming was perfectly fine, Tsumiki told her that she could get back in the pool as soon as tomorrow, and she had gotten to lean on Naegi's shoulder again as they searched and made their way back to the dorm.

 _Something about this feels so right,_ Asahina thought. She hoped Naegi would come with her to the pool tomorrow.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm_

 _Seventh Week of Classes-Wednesday_

As it turned out Naegi had not been able to join Asahina at the pool. She was a little disappointed, but just being in the water had cheered her up. It also helped that Ogami had been able to join her. Tsumiki had also joined them, but much to Asahina's displeasure, the Ultimate Nurse had only joined them to ensure that Asahina did not over exert herself.

Tsumiki had advised Asahina to avoid a kick workout as a freestyle kicking motion and a breaststroke kicking motion required flexion of the foot that might have triggered ankle pain. And since the dolphin kick requires a pointed toe, that was out too. Tsumiki had suggested that Asahina use the time in the water to perfect her arm stroke and your breathing pattern for both freestyle and the backstroke. She had even instructed Asahina to avoid diving as pushing off the platform or deck would require her ankle to bend significantly and possibly trigger pain.

Asahina was not upset with her senpai, she knew Tsumiki took nursing seriously and that she only wanted to help. She was more annoyed that she couldn't swim the way she wanted to, not that she hadn't tried. Today when it was only her and Ogami at the pool, Asahina had attempted to ignore Tsumiki's advice. However, as Ogami had been present when Tsumiki had advised Asahina on what she could and could not do, Ogami had made sure that Asahina followed Tsumiki's instructions.

"It's for your own good, Asahina-san," Ogami had said. Asahina knew she was right of course, but that didn't mean that she was happy about it. But she handled it rather well in her opinion, and she definitely did not pout, no matter what Ogami said.

There was another reason that Asahina was unhappy, and currently that reason had taken the form of flashing numbers in front of her toes. She didn't want to believe it, but her bathroom scale was telling her she had put on weight. She couldn't even say it was because she had just eaten, dinner wasn't for a while yet. She couldn't exercise the way she wanted for at least two to six weeks. _I really hope it's only two weeks, that way I might still have a chance,_ Asahina thought as she made her way to her bed. She sat on the edge thinking of what she could do.

Asahina was soon shaken from her thoughts when she heard someone knocking on her door. _Maybe that's Sakura-chan,_ she thought as she got up. She was surprised to find that it was not the Ultimate Martial Artists, but Naegi who had been knocking.

"Asahina-san dinner is ready," Naegi said had asked him to get Asahina for dinner. She had said that Asahina had been pouting during their time at the pool and suggested that maybe Naegi could brighten her mood. Naegi had been more than happy to help, but he didn't see any signs of pouting. _Ogami-san asked me to get Asahina-san because she said Asahina-san was pouting, but she looks more depressed than anything,_ he thought.

"O-oh, I-I'm not hungry," Asahina said. It wasn't true, but she hoped Naegi would believe her.

He did not. _Asahina Aoi no hungry? There's no way, something must be wrong,_ he thought. "Asahina are you alright? You seem depressed," Naegi said.

Asahina usually thought Naegi being sensitive to others' feelings was one of his best qualities, but right now she wished he had not picked up on her mood. "Oh... well... I tried to convince myself I was imagining it, but I totally wasn't imagining it," Asahina admitted.

"Imagining what?" Naegi asked.

"I... I got fat," Asahina said. She continued, "I'm so fat! Fat from every angle! I hate this... Hate it! I may as well just accept it and embrace my new big fat fatty attitude. I'll just get disgustingly morbidly obese, and then nobody will want to marry me! Which makes me depressed, and I get even fatter. Eventually I can't even stand up on my own. And then I die, sad and alone. Nobody notices. I finally lose weight when my body starts to rot."

After Asahina was done, Naegi realized that it was probably a good thing that he was the one Ogami sent to get Asahina. While he believed that most of the other girls would try to convince Asahina that she had nothing to worry about, he had interacted with Saionji and Fukawa enough times to know that the former would try to feed those insecurities and the latter would think Asahina was making fun of her. _Though if someone like Asahina can have body image issues, she could possibly make the others feel self-conscious too,_ Naegi thought.

"I think maybe you're worrying a little too much. Besides, as far as I can tell, you look exactly the same," Naegi said.

"You're just saying that. I'm a total chub monster! I'm a perfect circle," Asahina argued.

"No, I'm not. Asahina-san you're just as beautiful as you've always been," Naegi blurted out. He covered his mouth as soon as he said that and turned red from embarrassment. He believed what he said, but to actually say that to Asahina was still embarrassing.

"B-b-beautiful? You really think so?" Asahina asked. She was just as red as Naegi when she heard what he said.

"W-Well, I mean, uh... yeah," Naegi admitted, bashfully.

It seemed that this time Naegi's words were a source of relief rather than embarrassment as Asahina soon exclaimed, "Thank God! Seriously, thank GOD! Naegi-kun you have no idea how happy I am to hear that!" She wasn't done though, as she exclaimed, "But I can't relax now! I'm making an official statement! As of right now, Aoi Asahina is on a diet!"

"A diet...?" Naegi asked.

"Just you watch! I'm gonna get so thin it'll scare the crap outta you!" she proclaimed.

"W-Well... don't overdo it, okay?" Naegi pleaded. He doubted that Asahina would take dieting to an unhealthy extreme, but her could never tell what was going through her mind when she got fired up like this.

"Don't try and stop me! I've made up my mind, and my willpower is rock hard! And now my resolve is even MORE rock hard! But before all that, let's go get dinner! And after that, donuts!" Asahina exclaimed.

 _It doesn't sound like dieting is part of Asahina-san's skillset, but at least she's back to normal,_ Naegi thought happily.

Asahina must have noticed Naegi's mood because she asked, "What's up?"

"Nothing, I'm just glad you're feeling better. The happy and energetic Asahina-san we've all come to know and love is back," Naegi said.

"L-love?!" Asahina asked as she turned red again.

"Well yeah. You're everyone's friend Asahina-san, when you don't seem like yourself, we get worried," Naegi explained. He seemed to have missed the blush on Asahina's cheeks.

"O-oh that's what you meant. I mean, of course that's what you meant," Asahina said as she calmed down. _He already said I was beautiful, I would not be able to handle it right now if he came out and said he loved me. Still, it felt good to hear that, especially from Naegi-kun,_ Asahina admitted to herself.

"Ready to go?" Naegi asked.

"You bet! Dinner and donuts, here I come!" Asahina exclaimed as she got up and got ready to run downstairs. She would probably have gotten there in record time if Naegi hadn't placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Asahina-san, I was there when Tsumiki-senpai looked at your ankle. She said you have to take it easy and that means you can't run for now," Naegi reminded her. Asahina started to pout upon hearing that, which Naegi had to admit made her look cute, but he held firm. He grabbed one of her hands and said, "Come on, I don't know how much longer Ogami-san and Ikusaba-san can keep Owari-senpai from starting without us."

Asahina once again felt her face heating up but nodded. Asahina was in such a daze from her interaction with Naegi that she didn't catch the looks of disapproval that Ikusaba, Maizono, and Mioda sent her way when they saw her hand in Naegi's.

* * *

 _Downtown Near Hope's Peak Academy-Spicy Ramen_

 _Ninth Week of Classes-Saturday_

 _Tomorrow is a big day,_ Naegi thought as he and his companions waited for their orders. He was right, tomorrow he would be accompanying Sonia to the opening of the Novoselic Embassy and to say he was nervous would be an understatement. He knew he had no reason to be, no one would be there to see him, but having been personally invited by the Princess Sonia of Novoselic put more than a little pressure on him. He didn't doubt that what he learned from Sonia would be enough to get him through it, he simply doubted that his strange luck would behave the whole time that he was on what would now be considered Novoselic soil.

It was for that reason that he was grateful that his sister had been able to visit today. By some strange coincidence, Asahina's brother Yuta had also come for a visit ant the four met up, just as they had agreed to do last time. Something was different today though, two things really, specifically Komaru and Yuta's attitude concerning Asahina, but he couldn't quite understand why.

Komaru had been acting a bit strange and Naegi could not think of a reason for it. What Naegi did not seem to realize was that Komaru was not as naïve as he was. Komaru saw the serene smile on Asahina's face when the swimmer had looked at Naegi when she thought no one was looking. Komaru may have been young, but she recognized the look of a girl in love when she saw it. She also had a strong suspicion that Asahina was unaware of what it was that she was actually feeling. She could tell that Asahina would never intentionally hurt her brother, but she still felt that it was her duty as a little sister to keep a close eye on the Ultimate Swimmer when she could. This was also one of the reasons she wanted to meet these "Ultimate Girls" that seemed to have taken an interest in her older brother. Naegi Makoto may take everyone at their word, but Naegi Komaru knew that a little healthy suspicion could be a good thing. Her brother deserved the best and she would make sure that any girl that took an interest in him understood that fact too.

Naegi was unaware of what was going through his sister's mind, he was more focused on the younger Asahina.

Yuta had been disappointed when Asahina could not race him, but he understood that she shouldn't agitate her ankle, so he got over that rather quickly. What had the younger Asahina giving strange looks at the Ultimate Swimmer was what had happened when they arrived at the ramen shop and placed their orders. Asahina had asked what on the menu had the least calories and had ordered that instead of her favorite, porktastic tonkotsu. Naegi probably would have found that odd had Asahina not told him that she had planned to go on a diet. Naegi had his doubts at first, but to his classmate's credit, she had been cutting back on donuts. Naegi did not know if this had anything to do with the strange glances that Yuta had been giving Asahina. He had a feeling that Asahina wouldn't tell her brother that she was on a diet.

 _Only one way to find out I guess,_ Naegi thought. Turning towards Yuta, the Luckster asked, "Is something wrong Yuta-kun?"

Yuta, who had been shooting worried looks at his sister said, "Huh? Oh, I'm okay Makoto-nii."

"Are you sure? You've been looking at your sister like she's a stranger since we placed our orders," Naegi pointed out.

"Oh, that? I'm just not used to Aoi-nee acting so concerned about calories," Yuta explained.

"I care about those kinds of things. I am a teenage girl, you know," Asahina reminded him.

"I know, it's just sometimes I forget that," Yuta said waving his hands in a defensive manner.

 _And just what is that supposed to mean,_ Asahina thought in annoyance. "How do you forget that I'm a girl, Yuta?" Asahina asked.

"Yeah, not really sure how you could miss that," Komaru chided while shooting envious side glances at Asahina's breasts.

"No, I know that, it's just with how Aoi-nee usually acts, hanging out with my spazzy sister is almost the same as hanging out with my guy friends," Yuta "defended."

 _Yuta-kun stop talking, that grave you dug for yourself can't stand to get any deeper,_ Naegi thought with a facepalm. Had he just met Asahina, he would have thought that she would be able to brush that off. After spending time with her, he came to realize that Asahina could be very self-conscious. One look at his classmate's mortified expression was enough to confirm that Yuta's words had had an effect. Naegi decided that he would need to talk to her after the younger members of their group went home.

* * *

After Komaru and Yuta had safely boarded their trains, Asahina and Naegi made their way back to Hope's Peak Academy. Naegi knew the younger boy hadn't meant for this to happen, but the fact remained that the rest of the day had been very awkward after Yuta's comment. It was obvious to anyone that Asahina had become depressed after hearing her brother's assessment of her.

Naegi turned to Asahina, who had been rather quiet since Yuta's comment, and said, "Asahina-san, I hope you don't take what your brother said too seriously. If it makes you feel any better, Komaru has told me on more than one occasion that I could stand to be manlier."

"Huh, oh, I'm okay Naegi-kun, it's just I don't know what Yuta was talking about. Is there something wrong with the way I act?" Asahina asked. That's why she had been so quiet, she had never thought that there was a problem with how she acted until now and was wondering what to do about it.

"I don't think there is. Asahina-san is Asahina-san, and that's why everyone likes you. I think that at a certain age kids have it in their heads that there is only one way to be masculine or feminine and that having certain interests or doing certain things makes one less so."

"What do you mean?" Asahina asked.

"Well, say I took ballet. There was a time when people made fun of boys who took ballet. Even though that has diminished in recent years there are still people who think ballet is for girls," Naegi said.

"That's dumb. I hear that there have been a few American athletes that have taken ballet. I believe that Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Steve McLendon, NHL goaltender Ray Emery, former heavyweight-boxing champion Evander Holyfield took ballet classes. So did the retired legendary American football players, wide receiver Lynn Swann and running back Herschel Walker to name a few," Asahina argued.

"I know that, and you know that, but some people just refuse to change their perceptions of what is masculine and what is feminine. I'm not saying that there aren't traits that aren't inherently masculine or feminine, I happen to believe that there are. But I also believe that men and women can enjoy things that are usually associated with the opposite sex and still be masculine or feminine. A man can be gentle and nurturing and still be masculine and a woman can be strong, brave, and feminine. I think what matters is that we know when to…we'll say, shift gears," Naegi explained.

"That's kind of the problem Naegi-kun, I'm not sure I know how to do that. People have always told me how I'm not ladylike... And I mean, I can't really disagree. All I'm good at is sports, exercise, physical stuff," Asahina admitted sadly.

 _I think there is a difference between being ladylike and being feminine, but that's not important right now,_ Naegi thought. "I don't think that's a problem, like I said before, I like Asahina-san the way she is," Naegi told her.

"I appreciate that Naegi-kun, I really do, but if I'm being honest, this has bothered me for a while," Asahina said.

 _I'd like to reassure her more, but if I press anymore right now, I think I'll just do more harm than good. I'm sure she'll understand given time,_ Naegi thought. "I guess I understand Asahina-san, just promise me you'll consider what I said too," Naegi said.

"I will," Asahina promised with a small smile. Naegi's words had made her feel better, but she still felt insecure. _I appreciate what Naegi-kun said, it was very sweet. But I still can't help but think that there is something missing,_ Asahina thought.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm_

 _Eleventh Week of Classes-Saturday_

With the exception of Naegi and Owari, everyone had arrived back at the dorm around mid-afternoon from their hot spring retreat. As much as everyone wished that it could have lasted longer, they all knew it had to end sometime.

Asahina had noticed something during their time at the Minato Inn: She had noticed the change in Owari. Owari was still tough and brave, but it seemed that she had learned how to do what Naegi had referred to as shifting gears. Asahina noticed on more than one occasion that the usually fiercely independent Owari would sometimes switch to nurturing and gentle. Asahina had originally written it off as her Senpai's siblings being present, but if that had been the case, then Asahina was sure that she would have noticed the change in the Ultimate Gymnast when their week at the inn had started. She then thought that Naegi had to be connected somehow, but if that were true, why had the gymnast been the only one who changed?

Asahina couldn't help but remember a conversation she had had with Naegi previously where she had told him that she was worried that she was not ladylike. _If Owari-senpai can do it, then maybe I can too. But what is it that I'm missing?_ Asahina asked herself. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Tsumiki approach.

"Asahina-saAAAh!" the Ultimate Nurse began before she tripped and wound up in a position that displayed her panties for all the world to see.

"Huh? Oh, Tsumiki-senpai, are you alright?" Asahina asked as she walked over to the older girl and helped her up.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I'm fine. I-I j-just wanted to e-examine your ankle," The nurse explained.

"Sure," Asahina said, getting back to her thoughts.

It didn't take long before Tsumiki said, "Asahina-san, y-you're a-ankle is p-perfectly fine. Y-you can re-return to your n-normal routine."

That got Asahina's attention. "That's great! Any longer and I would have gone insane!" Asahina cheered.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it heal faster! I swear there was nothing I could do to speed things up! Please don't hate me!" Tsumiki wailed.

"Huh? I don't hate you Senpai, and I'm not blaming you. You, Sakura-chan, and Naegi-kun all told me to take it easy, but even I have to admit that I was too stubborn to listen at times," Asahina said, not sure what else to do to pacify the poor nurse.

"O-oh, okay then. I g-guess I-I'm not needed here then," Tsumiki said, sounding a bit disappointed. Before the older girl could leave, Asahina asked her something.

"Tsumiki-senpai, I know this is a weird question, but do you think I have…womanly charms?" Asahina knew her face must have been beet red when she asked that if the heat in her cheeks was any indication.

"Asahina-san has lots of womanly charms! That's the right answer, right? Please don't hate me!" Tsumiki pleaded.

 _Maybe she was the wrong person to ask,_ Asahina thought. "Uh, there really wasn't a wrong answer Senpai, so don't worry," Asahina said, now feeling rather uncomfortable with how awkward the situation had become. She knew it would be awkward no matter who she asked, but she wasn't prepared for this. Still, she needed an answer, so she decided that maybe some of the other girls would be more helpful.

* * *

 _Why can't I get an answer?_ Asahina asked herself. She hadn't felt this discouraged in a long time. She had asked many of the other girls if she had womanly charms and almost everyone she had asked seemed to think she was joking or in some cases insulting them.

When she had asked Fukawa, Fukawa had asked, "A-are you making fun of me? D-do you think that you can do that just because your breasts are bigger?"

Saionji had asked, "What kind of stupid question is that? Did you trade your brain for bigger boobs?" with a look of envy on her face.

Ikusaba had glanced at Asahina's chest before saying, "I'm not really sure how to answer that."

Koizumi had asked what brought this question on and upon hearing Asahina's explanation just seemed to shut down, although Asahina thought she heard the older girl mutter something along the lines of "Someone like Aoi-chan can have self-esteem issues," and "What does that mean for a plain girl like me?"

Yukizome had said, "So much so that sometimes even I'm a little jealous," all while looking at Asahina's chest.

Mioda had said, "Let Ibuki show you,", before she had made to grope Asahina before Ogami, who had entered the room at just the right moment, grabbed the Ultimate Musician and carried her out of the room.

 _What is this fixation with my breast size?_ Asahina asked herself with a mental pout. Figuring that since Maizono and Enoshima would know all about womanly charm given their talents, Asahina resolved to ask them. As luck would have it, Enoshima happened to be close by.

"Asahina-san, how's it going?" Enoshima asked, her mask of a non-despair obsessed teenage girl firmly in place. Enoshima knew exactly what was going on of course and decided to offer her own special brand of "help." Unresolved self-esteem issues were a great source of despair but Enoshima thought that Asahina's confidence as a woman could be shattered and that was even better.

"Enoshima-san maybe you can answer: Do you think I have 'womanly charms?'" Asahina asked.

"Uh, Asahina-san, you are aware that 'womanly charms' is a euphemism for breasts, right?" Enoshima asked. She wanted to laugh but figured there would be time for that after she made Asahina feel like a failure as a woman.

"Then that means that I've been asking people… Oh God!" Asahina exclaimed, mortified.

"Did you mean to ask whether or not you're feminine?" Enoshima asked.

"Yeah, I mean, people tell me I'm not ladylike, and they aren't wrong, but I don't know how to change that. What am I missing?" Asahina asked, sounding a little desperate.

"Well, some girls have it and some don't," Enoshima said. It was a lie, but Enoshima knew Asahina wouldn't catch that.

"Isn't there something I can do?" Asahina asked.

"Maybe. Let me ask: Have you ever been in love?" Enoshima asked. As much as she abhorred hope, she would give people hope in order to make their despair that much greater later and now seemed like a good opportunity for that.

"N-no, I haven't," Asahina admitted, more than a little embarrassed.

"That might help. Maybe a bit of dating would help. I happen to know a guy that might be perfect for you," Enoshima said.

"Really?" Asahina asked hopefully.

"Sure, let me get in touch with him and I'll get back to you," Enoshima said as she left the room.

 _Someone perfect for me,_ Asahina repeated in her mind. For some reason, an image of Naegi appeared. _That was weird, I don't think Enoshima-san was talking about Naegi-kun, so why… Wait, I don't know anything about dating! What am I going to do?_ Asahina panicked before she retreated to her room to try and study "proper" dating.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Twelfth Week of Classes-Wednesday_

In Asahina's room, Asahina and Ogami were discussing what Asahina should do for her date that Saturday. Enoshima had gotten a response for the boy she mentioned. His name was Fukuyama Suzuki, a male model at her agency who was the same age as Class 78, with the exception of Hagakure. Asahina had never heard of him, but she figured Enoshima knew what she was doing.

Ogami, however, was concerned. When Asahina had come to her and asked for dating advice she had promise to help in whatever way she could but given that the closest Ogami had ever had to a proper date were her matches with Kenshiro, she feared that she would not be much help. She had been doing alright so far, she did manage to ensure Asahina would not act like a dotting sitcom wife and Ogami did not even want to know why Asahina thought a jealous mistress was a good example to follow but she had corrected that too.

As much as Ogami wanted to support Asahina, she knew that Asahina was not doing this for the right reasons. "Asahina-san, perhaps you should reconsider this date. No good can come from trying to force love," Ogami warned.

"Thanks for looking out for me Sakura-chan, but I think I'll be okay. Enoshima picked this guy because she said he would be perfect for me. Besides, Enoshima thinks that if I fall in love, I'll learn how to be more feminine," Asahina said. Thinking that she would finally find what she was missing Asahina was a little excited, but she couldn't help but feel like something about this was wrong. Every time she would talk about her idea of the perfect guy, she would always picture Naegi and begin to get cold feet. She pushed through it though, she needed this, she'd never have to worry about being seen as "one of the guys" ever again if this worked.

Ogami didn't say it, but she knew that Asahina was wrong, that she was perfect just the way she was. She had wanted to, of course, but figured that it would be best if Asahina realized that on her own. Just because Asahina could be stubborn about this didn't mean that Ogami wouldn't step in if it seemed like Asahina was losing herself. There was something Ogami had been meaning to ask though, and now seemed like a good a time as any. "Asahina-san, what has made you so concerned about not being feminine enough?" Ogami asked.

"My brother Yuta said that hanging out with me was like hanging out with his guy friends, in public no less. I'd never been so humiliated in my life. The worst part is that he said it with Naegi-kun and his sister sitting right there," Asahina explained.

"Oh?" This piqued Ogami's curiosity. She knew that Asahina and Naegi had been spending a great deal of time together, although hearing that they and their sibling were acquainted was news to her. What really caught Ogami's attention was Asahina's mention of Naegi and his sister specifically. "Asahina-san, what do you think of Naegi-kun?" Ogami asked.

"Naegi-kun? He's the sweetest boy I've ever met. He let me lean on him when my ankle was giving me trouble. He went with me to ask Tsumiki-senpai and Nidai-senpai what exercises I could do so I didn't make my ankle any worse. When I was worried that I had put on weight, he said that I was 'just as beautiful as I always was.' And he tried to make me feel better when I was upset about what Yuta had said," Asahina said with a dreamy look on her face as her cheeks reddened.

If Asahina's gushing hadn't given it away, her blushing would have; Ogami knew that her friend was already in love. As much as she wanted to point this out, Ogami thought that Asahina would not believe her. She would if she had to, but Ogami was hoping Asahina would figure this out on her own. Perhaps this date would be a good learning experience for Asahina and perhaps this Fukuyama Suzuki would indeed make Asahina happy, because Ogami would make him pay if he hurt Asahina in any way. "Asahina-san," she began, "I don't know if Enoshima-san's advice was correct, but I do believe that when this is over you will know what is like to be in love and you will find the solution to your problem. Just be aware that it may not be in ways that you had expected."

Asahina was confused, but it sounded like she had her friend's support, so she was happy. Still, she couldn't help but focus on the last part of Ogami's statement. _Not what I expected? What could that mean?_ She asked herself. Unable to come up with an answer she thought, _If Sakura-chan is right then I guess I'll find out after my date on Saturday._ With that, she continued to study and practice for her date.

* * *

 _Downtown-Park Near Hope's Peak Academy_

 _Twelfth Week of Classes-Saturday_

The day had come. Asahina's date with Fukuyama Suzuki had arrived. She wished that she had had more time to prepare. She still wasn't sure what the proper way to act on a date was but remembering Ogami's words from Wednesday helped to reassure her. She was a little concerned about her clothes, but Enoshima had assured her that since Fukuyama was just taking her for a walk around town and through the park, Asahina's tracksuit would be fine. In fact, Enoshima told Asahina that Fukuyama had said he would prefer that she be comfortable, but as with all things involving Enoshima, that wasn't exactly true. In truth, Fukuyama wanted everyone to recognize Asahina.

Fukuyama may have been new to the modeling industry, but he had already earned a reputation, both as a brownnoser and as a peacock. Ordinarily, to the Japanese the peacock is associated with Kwan-yin. The peacock symbolizes love, or more precisely it is an emblem of love. Fukuyama was making sure that the Western use of the label was catching on. Always having to be the center of attention and always doing whatever he could to be more famous, an athlete like Asahina, who had been breaking records since a young age, was just a means to an end for him.

Asahina, of course, did not know this. What she did know, now that she was face-to-face with him was that he was rather good-looking. He was tall, he was well-built, and he was blond with spikey hair. He was flamboyantly dressed but Asahina looked past that, she wasn't usually one to judge others on their quirks.

"Asahina Aoi-san, I presume? Your pictures hardly do you justice," Fukuyama said, in a smooth, deep voice.

"O-oh, t-thank you. You're everything Enoshima-san said you were," Asahina said, embarrassed but pleased by the flattery.

"Oh? What exactly did Enoshima-senpai say?" Fukuyama asked. He hid it well, but he was nervous. There was always something about Enoshima, like she could see through everyone. The last thing he needed was Enoshima Junko to know that he planned to unseat her as the world's top model.

"She just told me I'd know it was you immediately, that you'd be the best-looking guy in the park," Asahina said.

"Oh? Oh, of course. My apologies, it's just sometimes Enoshima-senpai likes to mess with us, I was hoping she hadn't been spreading any unseemly rumors about me," Fukuyama said, relieved. Fukuyama continued and said, "But today isn't about her. Shall we?" Fukuyama held out his hand.

"Uh huh," Asahina said with a nod as she took his and in true Asahina Aoi fashion, took off running, pulling her date behind her.

Fukuyama's shrieking could be heard throughout the city.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Around the Same Time_

"Where is it?" Naegi asked as he ran around the kitchen looking for frosting. He had planned to make donuts for Asahina either to celebrate a successful date or to comfort her if it went badly. As great as he thought Asahina was, the fact that Enoshima set this up had Naegi worried, the Black Cherry Reunion hadn't been that long ago after all and Ikusaba's warning from back then was still fresh in his mind. _"Junko-chan wouldn't have done this if she didn't know that it would end badly…" Ikusaba-san had been referring to Mioda-senpai at the time, but I can't help but feel that the same applies here,_ Naegi thought. At the same time, he knew that one would have to try very hard to actually dislike Asahina. Plus, he didn't need to tell her what the donuts were for, assuming he ever found the frosting to put the finishing touches on them. Deciding that it wasn't in the kitchen, he went to ask the girls if any of them had seen it.

"Hey girls, have any of you seen…," Naegi trailed off as he saw the other girls in the common area living room. His main focus was Owari, who was sitting on the couch with an empty tub of chocolate frosting and a chocolate covered spoon in her hand. "I, uh, I guess you have," Naegi sighed.

"Oh Naegi-kun, were you going to use this?" Owari asked, trying to look as innocent as she could while having been caught red-handed. The last thing she wanted was for Naegi to be mad at her.

"We tried to stop her," Maizono said as the others nodded.

"The size of the room and the fact that it was crowded made it difficult," Ikusaba said, disappointed in herself for failing when Naegi needed her.

"It's fine, it's easy enough for me to fix. I'll just go get some from the school kitchen," Naegi said.

"Actually Makoto-chan, I think that Teruteru-chan's ingredients are being checked today for any…" Mioda began before being interrupted.

"Perhaps we should just leave it at that Mioda-san," Sonia said. She'd prefer to not remember that experience, and she would certainly prefer her, in her mind, future husband not know about the aphrodisiac incident from last year.

"Okay, I'll go buy some then," Naegi said as he went to get his wallet from his room.

"Naegi-kun would you mind picking up a few more things while you're out?" Yukizome asked.

"Sure, could you all put a list together while I go find my wallet?" Naegi asked as he headed upstairs. Upon his return, he saw the completed shopping list. It wasn't particularly long, but he thought that it might be better if he had an extra pair of hands to help him. Before he could ask if someone wanted to join him, Ogami beat him to it.

"Naegi-kun, might I accompany you?" Ogami asked.

"Sure Ogami-san. Did you need something in town too?" Naegi asked.

"I seem to be running low on protein for my protein coffee," Ogami said.

 _That sounds like it would taste terrible,_ Naegi thought, not that he was a big coffee drinker to begin with, but the taste of protein mixed in sounded awful. Naegi would never say that out loud of course, so instead he said, "Okay, let's go."

Naegi did not notice five disappointed looks from certain girls. If there was a silver lining for them, it was that Ogami had shown no romantic interest in Naegi, so they weren't too worried about one of them gaining an advantage.

Once he and Ogami were outside, they heard a loud shrieking noise. _That sounded like a man's voice. I hope nothing is wrong,_ Naegi thought.

* * *

One could say that something was wrong, but it really depended on whether one was speaking with Asahina or Fukuyama.

Asahina wasn't having a terrible time, but she wasn't feeling anything she didn't feel when she spent time with anyone else, with the exceptions of Ogami and Naegi. Fukuyama just didn't make her feel anything special. She was more than happy to keep going, she didn't think Enoshima would have steered her wrong so maybe she'd feel something when the date was over. The only complaint she had was that Fukuyama would make any and all topics about himself. Asahina did not begrudge people with self-confidence, she figured it helped when it came to the modeling industry. However, Asahina herself was rather humble and it irritated her when someone was too full of themselves, her interactions with Togami Byakuya were proof of that. Still, Fukuyama had bought her funnel cake, so he couldn't be all bad, right?

Fukuyama certainly thought something was wrong though. If things had ended with Asahina dragging him by his arm towards various food vendors, Fukuyama would have been fine with it. He had even decided to be nice and buy the girl funnel cake from one of the carts. But then something happened that started to annoy him.

As Asahina was enjoying her funnel cake, a group of three junior high school girls, each carrying duffel bags had approached the Ultimate Swimmer.

"Excuse me, are you Asahina Aoi?" one, a short girl with brown hair asked.

"I sure am. Who are you?" Asahina asked.

"I told you it was her," one of the other girls, a blonde, said excitedly.

"We're members of the swim team at our school. We heard that you were going to Hope's Peak Academy, but never thought we'd get the chance to meet you," the first answered. That looked to be true, the girls were all tan and their hair seemed light, results typically associated with constantly swimming in chlorinated pools.

"We all think you're amazing. Not just us, our entire team," the girl who had been silent up until now, a redhead, said.

"Ah thanks, but I'm nothing special," Asahina said embarrassed by the praise.

"That's not true," the first girl argued.

"Could you give us some pointers?" the second asked.

"Well, I'd have to see you practice, but I'd be more than happy to if we can meet up again," Asahina said honestly.

The girls were happy, Asahina Aoi, their hero, wanted to watch them practice.

"I do have some advice though: Once you set your sights on a goal, keep chasing it. No matter how many times you stumble you'll get there if you put in the effort. Because as great as it feels to win, the challenge is always the best part," Asahina said.

The girls nodded excitedly, if someone like Asahina said that, it must be true.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you three know me, but I didn't ask for your names," Asahina said apologetically.

"I'm Adachi Miyu," the girl with brown hair said.

"My name is Kashiwagi Momo," the blonde said.

"Okayasu Sae is my name," the redhead said.

Fukuyama was not happy with this. He hated not being the center of attention, but he had to endure it for a little while longer. As soon as he had agreed to this date, he had contacted various fashion and gossip magazines, even some paparazzi forums to be on the safe side, anonymously of course, with a tip that he would be on a date with Asahina Aoi. No one had shown up yet, but he had been assured that each publication he contacted would send someone. At least he had Asahina's child-like quirks to laugh at. "What is that fool doing?" he quietly asked himself as he saw Asahina tracing the names of the girls on her palm. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a few well-known members of the paparazzi hiding in the background. It was time for Fukuyama Suzuki to shine.

"Asahina-san, we should get back to our date," Fukuyama said as he approached the group of swimmers.

"Asahina-senpai is on a date?" Adachi asked.

"We didn't mean to interrupt," Okayasu said.

"We didn't notice you, we're sorry," Kashiwagi added.

Fukuyama's eye started to slightly twitch at Kashiwagi's statement, but none of the girls noticed. He was able to get it under control though and proceeded to introduce himself. "I'm an up-and-coming model in the fashion industry. The male model to end all male models. I am the beautiful Fukuyama Suzuki!" Fukuyama exclaimed in an over-the-top fashion as he struck a pose.

The younger girls were less than impressed.

"I'm not sure I recognize that name," Okayasu said as she adopted a thinking pose in an effort to remember.

"He said he was 'up-and-coming', so he must be really new," Adachi reasoned. She and Okayasu turned to Kashiwagi, hoping she had heard of Fukuyama.

"Don't look at me, I don't follow fashion," Kashiwagi said to her friends.

That was the wrong thing to say as a vein started to throb on Fukuyama's forehead. To add insult to injury he heard the click of some cameras, his introduction falling flat would be preserved for posterity. Through gritted teeth he said, "Let's go enjoy ourselves, Asahina-san?"

"Uh okay," Asahina said. _He must be embarrassed. I probably would be too if I did an introduction like that only for it to fall flat. I'm sure he'll calm down_ , Asahina thought. Asahina then turned to her young fans and said, "Okay girls, you know how to contact me, so we should be able to work out a time where I can give you some pointers. I hope we see each other again soon."

"Thank you, Asahina-senpai!" all three girls exclaimed in unison.

As Asahina and Fukuyama walked away, the junior high swimmers whispered amongst themselves.

"Is Asahina-senpai really on a date with a guy like that?" Kashiwagi asked.

"He's good looking but he seems full of himself," Adachi said.

"Asahina-senpai could do so much better," Okayasu added.

They may have been whispering, but Fukuyama had excellent hearing and he was seething on the inside.

* * *

Around this time, Naegi and Ogami had successfully completed their errands, even if it had taken longer than originally planned.

"Three different stores to find the right junk food, I don't believe this," Ogami sighed, her annoyance clear. Protein for her would have been easy and getting supplies for Tsumiki wouldn't have been difficult either, but some of the girls felt the need to add obscure brands of various snack foods to the list that they had given Naegi. At least his frosting had been easy enough to get.

Naegi agreed but knew that there was no point in getting annoyed. Instead, he looked off into the distance and said to Ogami, "Ogami-san, if we cut through the park, we should be able to cut our travel time. I think that's where Asahina-san said she was going for her date, maybe we should say hello."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to bother her," Ogami lied. The truth was that she only asked to come along because she wanted to make sure Asahina was alright, she just didn't want to go by herself and seem like an overprotective friend, although she realized that there was no getting around that.

"Ogami-san, I know that's the main reason you asked to come along, you've been distracted the whole time," Naegi countered.

Normally, upon being accused of having an ulterior motive, Ogami would have felt insulted, there were few alive who were more honorable than Ogami Sakura. But Naegi was correct, Ogami had not been completely honest and she was worried about Asahina. Seeing no reason to deny it, she admitted, "You are correct, Naegi-kun. I know Asahina-san can take care of herself, but I cannot help but worry."

"I understand completely, and I don't think anyone would blame you, it's not like any of us besides Enoshima-san know this guy," Naegi said. He didn't dare tell Ogami that he was worried too, and that was because it was Enoshima who set this up.

"Thank you, Naegi-kun," Ogami said.

"Anytime Ogami-san. Now, let's pop over for a bit, say hello, and get back to the dorm. There's nothing wrong with that right?" Naegi asked rhetorically. He was trying to justify what they were about to do, but he didn't know if it was for his sake or Ogami's.

* * *

As it turned out, Asahina had been wrong and Fukuyama had not calmed down. If anything, he got worse since the two of them ran into a few more school athletes and boys who were fans of Asahina for… other reasons. Fukuyama's ego couldn't take much more. No one in the park had stopped them because they recognized him, it was all Asahina Aoi. To make matters worse, the bruising of his ego was being captured on film or was being saved to memory cards and even if none of those pictures were published in magazines, he was sure those pictures would be on the internet before the day was over.

Fukuyama was so frustrated that he had long since stopped paying attention to where he was going. He did not hear Asahina tell him to watch out and thus bumped into a little girl with a large chocolate ice cream cone.

*click*

Someone had snapped a picture of Fukuyama getting a large chocolate ice cream stain on his outfit.

That was the last straw.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU GET OUT OF THE WAY YOU STUPID LITTLE BRAT!" Fukuyama screamed. He was so angry at this point that blood vessels had become visible on his forehead.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry Mister, I…" the little girl stuttered out trying her hardest not to cry.

"SORRY?! SORRY DOESN'T CLEAN MY OUTFIT. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PAY FOR THIS?!" the enraged Fukuyama asked.

"Calm down Fukuyama-san. You were the one who bumped into her, remember?" Asahina attempted to remind him.

Fukuyama had stopped screaming, but he was no less angry as he sneered, "I wouldn't expect you to understand. Of course, some sweaty, unfeminine, athlete whose wardrobe most likely only consists of tracksuits wouldn't see a problem with stains."

"What is your problem?" Asahina asked, offended. By this point, everyone else around had stopped what they were doing to watch the scene caused by Fukuyama's meltdown.

"You're my problem. You eat like a pig, you know nothing of proper etiquette, and yet somehow, you're more famous and more admired than me. I agreed to this because I thought it would look good and all I have to show for it is humiliation. Humiliation at being outshined by an uncouth swimmer. Humiliation because now this outfit is ruined…" Fukuyama started to rant. He stopped momentarily when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned and yelled, "WHAT?!" before a fist collided with his nose.

* * *

Naegi and Ogami had made it to the park and spotted Asahina in the distance. The two made their way over just as Fukuyama ran into the girl with the ice cream.

Ogami had started to make her way over once Fukuyama had started screaming at the girl.

She sped up once Fukuyama had first insulted Asahina.

The sad look that appeared on Asahina's face when Fukuyama continued to demean her caused Ogami to start running towards the model and the swimmer. Ogami would make Fukuyama regret his words.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, someone had beaten Ogami to it. Had she not been so focused on Fukuyama, she might have noticed Naegi approach the model mid-rant and tap his shoulder. What had really surprised her was when her classmate, Naegi Makoto, a boy many would consider the embodiment of gentleness, punched Fukuyama in the nose. There was a sickening cracking noise, Ogami had no doubt Fukuyama's nose was broken.

"OW BARE OU! DO OU DOW WHO I AM?! (How dare you! Do you know who I am?!)" Fukuyama screamed. It was difficult to understand him with his broken nose, but everyone who heard him understood.

"I think you're someone with an ego so fragile that he freaks out over his clothes and demeans women. I think you're someone who needs to learn how to act like at least a halfway decent man before you even think that you can judge how feminine a girl is. I think what you said to Asahina-san proves that you wouldn't know true beauty if you were staring right at it. And I think you could never be good enough for my friend. Now leave before I say something I might regret," Naegi said. He might have looked intimidating had he not been clutching his hand, clearly in pain.

The crowd, which had been silent up until now, started cheering once Naegi had finished. A few voices shouted, "You tell him kid!" which only infuriated Fukuyama more. Even worse for Fukuyama, not only had the photographers he contacted captured the whole thing on film, some bystanders had recorded the whole incident. He got up to retaliate but stopped when he saw Ogami. If looks could kill, he'd have already been dead, so he did what any sane person would do and ran with his tail between his legs.

By this time, Asahina was suffering from what could only be called emotional whiplash. When Fukuyama had started putting her down, she felt crushed, not only had the whole date been a waste, Fukuyama had insulted her in public. She thought that even if she didn't hit it off with Fukuyama, she had at least made progress and proved to herself that she could act feminine. Fukuyama's words dashed any hope of that, at least in her mind. After Naegi had come to the rescue, she felt elated. It hardly mattered what Fukuyama thought because, _Naegi-kun thinks I'm beautiful. I mean, he said so before, but he stood up for me and called me beautiful,_ Asahina thought. Then something hit her, _Wait, why is Naegi-kun here? Is that Sakura-chan with him? What's going on?_ "Why are you both here?" Asahina asked.

"We went shopping and decided to cut through the park," Ogami answered as she held up a plastic shopping bag. Looking at Naegi, specifically the hand he was clutching, she then said, "I think we should get back to campus so that Tsumiki-senpai can look at Naegi-kun's hand."

"Huh? Oh, does it hurt bad Naegi-kun?" Asahina asked in concern.

"Probably more than it should. I didn't really mean to break his nose, but I can't stand people who insult my friends. Before I knew it, my fist was in his face," Naegi said as picked up the bags he had dropped with his pain-free hand.

"Here, let me help," Asahina said as she grabbed some of the bags. As she was doing that, some familiar faces came made their way over to her.

"Asahina-senpai, I hope you don't take what that scumbag said to heart," Adachi said.

"Asahina-senpai is the girl we aspire to be, the perfect blend of athletic, feminine, and beautiful. That guy was just no good," Okayasu added.

"You should have gone on a date with this guy instead, he gets it," Kashiwagi said as she pointed at Naegi.

Asahina blushed as an image of herself and Naegi on a date floated through her mind. She pushed that image aside and said, "Thanks girls, that really means a lot."

"Anytime," Okayasu said.

"We meant every word," Kashiwagi said.

"We'll see you later, Senpai," Adachi said as she and her friends left.

After the girls left, Asahina, Naegi, and Ogami began to make their way back to Hope's Peak Academy. They walked in silence until Naegi said, "Asahina-san, I'm sorry. I know you wanted that date to go well."

"It's fine Naegi-kun, Fukuyama-san was a jerk, but was he right? Is there really no hope for me? Am I doomed to the life of a crazy cat lady because I'm not feminine enough?" Asahina asked.

"Asahina-san," Ogami said sadly, she really didn't know how to get through to her friend.

"Asahina-san, could you and Ogami-san meet me in my room after Tsumiki-senpai looks at my hand? There's something you need to see and someone I think you should talk to," Naegi said.

"Okay," Asahina said. For some reason, the thought of being in Naegi's room excited her, although, and she felt bad for thinking this, she wished Ogami wouldn't be able to join them.

* * *

Once Naegi had seen Tsumiki, he met Asahina and Ogami in front of his door. Luckily, his hand wasn't broken, but Tsumiki told him to be prepared for it to swell up and to keep icing it. He unlocked his door and invited them both in.

Asahina was nervous, unless she counted her brother, she'd never been in a boy's room before. Ogami noticed this but decided not to comment on it. Naegi motioned for the two to take a seat. Once they had, he began to speak.

"First, before we begin, and I know this is weird but trust me, Asahina-san could you undo your ponytail?" Naegi asked.

Asahina agreed that it was weird but complied.

"Thought so. That probably wasn't necessary, but I think it might help me get the point across. Now, and I promise this is my last weird request, could you look in my mirror?" Naegi asked.

Asahina was still confused but did so. Asahina wasn't what one would call vain, but she thought she looked rather pretty with her hair down if she said so herself.

"After we hung out with Komaru and Yuta-kun last, I called home and asked for some pictures. Take a look at the woman in this picture," Naegi said as he handed Asahina a photo.

It was a family photo, Asahina recognized Komaru and Naegi. She guessed the two adults in the picture were Mr. and Mrs. Naegi. Once Asahina got a good look at Mrs. Naegi, she gasped. Had the woman in the picture not been an adult with hazel eyes, Asahina would swear she was looking at her future self.

"As you've probably guessed, that's my family and the woman I asked you to look at is my Kaa-san. I didn't notice it until after I got these pictures, but when your hair is down, you look like a younger version of her," Naegi explained.

"She's beautiful. She's must be what people think of when they think of 'yamato nadeshiko,'" Asahina said as she showed the picture to Ogami.

"I don't know about that, but I doubt anyone thought that back when she was our age," Naegi said.

"What do you mean?" Asahina asked. There was no way Mrs. Naegi could ever not be considered the epitome of pure, feminine beauty.

"Here's a picture from her first year of high school," Naegi said as he handed Asahina another picture.

If Asahina hadn't notice the similarities between her and Mrs. Naegi's appearance before, she did now. In the picture was a young Mrs. Naegi, before she was Mrs. Naegi obviously, with her hair done up in a ponytail like Asahina's usual one, wearing a rugby uniform. There were other girls in the picture, her teammates and they looked as though they had just finished a game.

"Kaa-san was a rugby player in high school. She and her friends had to start the team themselves since this was before 1991. She was a winger," Naegi said.

"Your mother played rugby?" Asahina asked, still not able to believe it. Asahina had once overheard Nidai describe rugby as the manliest of men's sports and, at the time, she had agreed with that assessment, but she couldn't deny what was in front of her. The woman in the family photo was once one of the girls in the rugby team photo, her face flushed from exertion and she had been visibly sweating.

"Yeah. It embarrasses her, but whenever she looks at that team picture, Tou-san always says she's just as beautiful now as she was back then," Naegi said.

Asahina couldn't help but picture herself in the future, looking back on her time as an athlete and hearing her future husband say the same thing. The fact that said future husband looked and sounded like Naegi turned her face as red as her jacket.

"You don't have to take my word for it though," Naegi said as he took out his phone. To avoid hurting his injured hand, he placed his phone on the table and pulled up his contact list. Selecting the option "Home" he tapped it, picked up his phone and waited.

" _Naegi residence_ ," A female voice from the other end said.

"Hi Kaa-san, it's Makoto," Naegi said.

" _Koto-kun! How are you sweetheart_?" the woman, Mrs. Naegi, asked.

"I'm fine. I hope you are too," Naegi said, a little embarrassed at the nickname his mother had used.

" _I'm alright, so is your Tou-san and so is Komaru-chan_ ," Mrs. Naegi said.

"That's good to hear. Kaa-san, do you remember when I asked for those pictures?" Naegi asked.

" _Yes. Did they help your friend?"_ Mrs. Naegi asked, concern apparent in her voice. Asahina and Ogami thought it was sweet that a woman who they had never met sounded so concerned for the well-being of a child that wasn't hers. Clearly, Naegi's kind nature was genetic.

"I think so, but I thought maybe you could talk to her," Naegi said.

" _Absolutely. Is she there now?"_ Mrs. Naegi asked.

"I'll put her on," Naegi said before passing his phone to Asahina.

The Ultimate Swimmer took his phone before managing to get out a shaky, "H-hello?" Asahina didn't know why she was so nervous, she wasn't even in the same room as this woman, but knowing it was Naegi's mother had her nervous. Asahina wasn't sure if someone could make a lasting impression over the phone, but she really hoped she made a good one.

" _Is this Asahina Aoi-chan?"_ Mrs. Naegi asked.

"Y-yes ma'am. And you're Naegi-kun's mother, right?" Asahina asked. She knew, but she wanted to be polite.

" _Yes, Naegi Momo at your service,"_ the woman chirped happily before giggling. Then in a motherly voice, Mrs. Naegi said, _"Koto-kun told me something was bothering one of his friends and that old picture of me could help, but maybe it would be better if you started from the beginning, Aoi-chan."_

So that's exactly what Asahina did. From what Yuta had said up to now: all of her insecurities; the advice she had received; she left nothing out.

Mrs. Naegi had listened patiently and once Asahina finished she said, _"Well Aoi-chan, you've officially had the worst date of your life."_

That got a laugh out of Asahina.

" _That's better. Now, I had a similar problem when I was your age. Girls didn't play rugby back then, and if they did, they were weird. My own kaa-san was against it, she said things like 'How will you find a husband if you act like a boy?' I won't lie, it bothered me, but I loved playing rugby, still do when I get together with the girls, although we're probably getting too old,"_ Mrs. Naegi said.

"I don't get it. When I look at you in that picture with your family you look like what people think of when they hear 'yamato nadeshiko,'" Asahina said.

" _That's sweet of you to say. The only one who thought I was beautiful or feminine back then was my husband. Or at least he was the only one who admitted it,"_ Mrs. Naegi said.

"How did you deal with it? Naegi-kun mentioned something about 'shifting gears' but I don't know how to do that," Asahina said.

" _You do, you just don't know it. Aoi-chan, many girls your age worry that they could be more feminine or that their interests aren't feminine, that unfortunately comes with being a teenager. What you need to remember, and I'm sure you've heard this a bunch of times in the past, 'Each of us is our own harshest critic.' I think your mentality as an athlete, the desire to always be better, has done you a lot of good, but I think it is also why you aren't able to see that you already have a cute and feminine side, because you think it isn't enough. The fact is, all women, and men too, instinctively know how to 'shift gears,'"_ Mrs. Naegi explained.

"You know Mrs. Naegi, that makes me feel a lot better," Asahina said.

" _I'm glad to hear it. When Koto-kun told me about you, I could tell he was worried. I'm glad he tried, but he's still a teenage boy so he can only understand so much about girls. That's why I had a feeling he'd call and ask me to speak to you. I'm sure I didn't say anything he hasn't, but having been in your position myself, I figured my words would reach you when his couldn't,"_ Mrs. Naegi said. After letting that sink in, Mrs. Naegi asked, _"Do you think you'll be okay now, Aoi-chan?"_

"You know what? I do," Asahina said. It was true, after talking to Mrs. Naegi, her concerns seemed rather silly and her mind felt so clear. She had a feeling that in a few days she'd even be laughing about how bad her date went.

" _I'm glad to hear it. Now, would you mind putting Koto-kun back on,"_ her voice dropped to a whisper, _"I'm proud of him for sticking up for you, but between us, I don't think I'd be a proper mother if I didn't lecture him for punching that other boy,"_ Mrs. Naegi joked.

Asahina laughed before saying, "Sure thing Mrs. Naegi, and thank you." She then handed the phone to Naegi and said, "She wants to talk to you." Asahina couldn't help but find it funny that Naegi paled at that.

"Oh, I've been dreading this," Naegi said with a gulp. Before he spoke to his mother, he said, "I'm glad you're feeling better Asahina-san. I'm sorry, I couldn't help you more on my own."

"You did fine Naegi-kun, you've been so sweet and supportive through all of this," Asahina said. Asahina had to resist the urge to kiss his cheek. _His mother is on the phone, I'm sure she'd hear something_ , she reminded herself.

"Asahina-san, we should go," Ogami said, breaking her silence.

"You're right Sakura-chan. Good luck, Naegi-kun," Asahina said as she and Ogami left. Once Naegi's door was shut, Asahina said, "What a nice family." She then started giggling as she said, "It's hard to believe that the same guy who punched Fukuyama-san is the same guy who seemed so afraid of his mother lecturing him."

Ogami chuckled, but for a different reason. "You're quite fond of Naegi-kun aren't you?" she asked.

"Well yeah. He's sweet. He's understanding. He's patient. He's always willing to help…" Asahina probably would have continued until Ogami interrupted.

"I told you," Ogami said simply.

"Told me what?" Asahina asked.

"So, you haven't realized it. Asahina-san, you were trying to force yourself to fall in love, but you didn't notice you were already in love with someone," Ogami said.

"What do… you… With Naegi-kun?" Asahina asked as she had an epiphany. That would explain so much, like why she seemed to have Naegi on the brain.

"Yes, which means we should probably talk," a new, yet familiar voice said. The two girls turned to see Ikusaba, Maizono, Mioda, Sonia, and Owari.

Realizing that this was a battle Asahina would have to fight on her own, Ogami said, "I wish you luck Asahina-san," before excusing herself.

"Wa-wait! Sakura-chan?" Asahina pleaded, she had some idea of what was coming and couldn't believe that Ogami had left her to fend for herself.

"There is no need to worry Asahina-san. I have a suggestion that I believe, at the very least, will satisfy the both of us," Sonia said.

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _I can't believe Sonia-senpai can ask a question like that with a straight face,_ Asahina thought, still slightly mortified by the question. She was going to aim for the gold medal, in life, in swimming, and in love. _Accepting Sonia-senpai's offer of being a mistress is like giving up, and that is unacceptable,_ Asahina thought.

"Oh Asahina-san, Kaa-san wanted to know if you're feeling okay," Naegi said, remembering his last conversation with his mother.

"Oh, Asahina-san has met your mother?" Owari asked in a low growl. If Naegi's family had already met Asahina, then that was a huge advantage for the swimmer.

"Not in person, they only spoke once on the phone. I think from what I told her, Kaa-san sees a lot of herself in Asahina-san. I guess athletes have a special bond even if they're separated by a generation," Naegi said. He didn't really get it, of all the things he had inherited from his mother, he had not received her aptitude for sports.

"That they do," Nidai agreed, which only served to irritate Owari further. Then again, she was an athlete too. She would need to make it a point to meet Mrs. Naegi and share in this special bond. She shot a look towards Asahina that said, "I won't lose to you."

Never one to turn down a challenge, Asahina just nodded.

Naegi was oblivious to all of this. He remembered why he had come here and said, "Sorry everyone, I came to make sure everything was alright not interrupt you with reminiscing," as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"It was no trouble," Ogami assured him.

"You could stay if you wanted to," Owari said, hoping he would, even if it meant sharing him with one of her rivals.

Asahina felt the same as Owari, and said, "You're more than welcome."

"Well I'd like to but there's something I need to do today and…" Naegi began.

"I'M SOOOORRRRRRRYYYYY!" a familiar voice wailed. It was soon followed by an equally familiar, annoyed groan.

"…and I should probably go do something about that," Naegi finished, his plans changing once again. He waved good-bye to his friends before heading towards the voices.

While making his way towards where those voices came from, Naegi couldn't help thinking, _She said she wouldn't do that anymore. They were both doing so well, I wonder what happened._

"I'M SOOORRRRYYYY!" the first voice repeated.

After another groan, Naegi heard, "No, no, no! You'll always be a doormat for people if you don't fire back. It really isn't that hard Mikan-nee."

 _That's new,_ Naegi thought, more than a little confused.

He soon heard a third voice that said, "Hiyoko-chan, maybe it would be best if you two took a break."

The second voice seemed to think about this before saying, "You're right Mahiru-nee."

Naegi soon reached the location of the voices and saw that the voiced indeed belonged to Koizumi Mahiru, Tsumiki Mikan, and Saionji Hiyoko. Hoping they would explain what it was that he, and probably the rest of campus, he imagined, had heard. "Hey everyone, is everything alright?" he asked.

The first to react was Tsumiki, who ran and cowered behind Naegi. Saionji scowled at that, but Koizumi smiled, although Naegi swore he saw her eye twitch.

"It's nothing Naegi-kun, Hiyoko-chan was trying to 'toughen up' Mikan-chan," Koizumi explained.

That really didn't clear things up, which led to Naegi saying, "I might need to hear this from the beginning."

* * *

 **And finished. I hope you all enjoyed it. I apologize for the wait, but to be honest, this chapter was harder than I expected it to be. Having never been a teenage girl, I can only refer to articles on psychology and parenting to help me with this. I mean, thinking you're not "X" enough is a pretty universal concern, but that can only get you so far.**

 **I'd like to that Putain de Plagieur for proofreading once again. You're the best, my friend!**

 **For those who are interested:**

 **Yamato nadeshiko (** **やまとなでしこ** **or** **大和撫子** **) is a Japanese term meaning the "personification of an idealized Japanese woman", or "the epitome of pure, feminine beauty". It is a floral metaphor, combining the words Yamato, an ancient name for Japan, and nadeshiko, a delicate frilled pink carnation called Dianthus superbus, whose kanji translate into English as "caressable child".**

 **The term "Yamato nadeshiko" is often used referring to a girl or shy young woman and, in a contemporary context, nostalgically of women with good traits which are perceived as being increasingly rare. However, Nadeshiko Japan is also widely used as the name for the Japanese national women's football team.**

 **Wing**

 **The wings are generally positioned on the outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wingers are usually the fastest players in the team and are either elusive runners or, more recently, big, strong and able to break tackles. The skills needed for the left wing and right wing are similar, although left-footed players are usually played on the left wing as they can step and kick better off their left foot. The winger on the blindside often "comes off the wing" to provide an extra man in the midfield, in the same vein as a full-back. One or both wingers will usually drop back on opposition kicks to give the full-back extra options for counter-attacking.**

 **For anyone who caught it, yes, the guy who gave them the expired coupons was Cayde. I couldn't help it. How could anyone not love Cayde-6? Obviously this one wasn't an Exo, that would have been weird, but doesn't that seem like something he'd do? Eavesdrop on a conversation that involves ramen and give coupons to Spicy Ramen? I'm sorry, won't happen again. Unless you liked him, in which case, given his gambling problem I might bring him back for Celes's chapter.**

 **I didn't notice this until I replayed DR1, but when her hair is down Asahina looks a lot like Mrs. Naegi. Google "Naegi Family," find a picture with preferably with Mrs. Naegi's eyes open, and then Google "Aoi Asahina hair down" if you don't believe me.**

 **Also, don't worry, I didn't forget Junko's reaction, those will be in her chapter.**

 **Mahiru is up next, but there are somethings I need to let all of you know.**

 **First off, a guest reviewer suggested Makoto confronting Mikan's family. I'm not opposed to the idea, in fact I planned to address it, just in a future chapter that focused on Mikan. Yes, that means that the girls get more than one chapter that focuses on them, although they may share a few chapters. I'm holding off on it for a few reasons:**

 **I want to make Hope's Peak Academy a safe haven for Mikan, and that means dealing with her tormentor, Hiyoko.**

 **There are things I need to explain, and plan to in the Warriors of Hope chapter (yes, they get one), as to why nothing was ever done about Mikan's home life, even though anyone should have known something was wrong within five seconds of meeting her.**

 **While Mikan did talk about the forms of abuse she suffered, given how broken she was canonically, I don't think that it's a stretch to think that she would avoid letting her friends meet her family even after she mentions the abuse. I think it is rather likely that she would be under the mistaken impression that her friends would abandon her. Or double down.**

 **There is also the matter of her living situation outside of school. That's a problem she'll be sharing with at least one other girl, so I figure that resolving that for them would be more suited to the arc I have planned for their summer break**

 **Having said all that, her knight in shining armor, or at least a green hoodie, will come to her rescue. I hope that's acceptable, I hate to find out that I lost a reader over my choices, although I think that is rather unlikely, but one can never be sure. Trust me when I say, Mikan is one of my favorite characters from SDR2, I want her to be safe and happy in this fic as much as any of her other fans reading this.**

 **Secondly, and I probably mentioned this before, but Mahiru, Mikan, and Hiyoko are going to be part of a mini-arc. So instead of a resolution to their problems in their respective chapters, all three will be resolved in a fourth chapter after each of the three girls gets their respective chapter. I'm doing this because of my belief that I really can't do Mikan's chapter without Hiyoko being a major part of it; I can't do a Hiyoko chapter without bringing up that Mahiru is Hiyoko's enabler; and while I could do Mahiru's chapter and resolve the problem there, I can't help but think that her being called out as Hiyoko's enabler would be a giant leap back. Whether I like it or not, those three girls are very closely linked. I don't really see it as a bad thing, but it might present a bit of a challenge, and those chapters might be shorter that usual too.**

 **On another note, I plan to take a break until after the new year. I love this story, but I think part of the delay in getting this chapter out is that I feel a little burnt out. I just need to recharge my batteries, but I shall return, hopefully with a new chapter worthy of you, my readers. I will still answer PM's so don't be afraid to send one if you have questions.**

 **Read and review and I will see you in January.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Photographer (Part 1)

* * *

 **Greetings ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages, wesst1 here to welcome you to 2019! I really did need that break but I am glad to be back. I hope all of you had an excellent holiday season.**

 **Can I just say that you are the best readers a guy like me can ask for? Well you are. I'm so glad you all enjoyed what I did with Aoi and hope I can continue writing a story worthy of you, my readers.**

 **You all may have noticed that part 1 in the title. Yes, it is finally time for that four-part arc with Mahiru, Mikan, and Hiyoko (in that order) with the conclusion in a fourth chapter that I have been talking about for I don't even remember how long. I hope you'll all enjoy it.**

 **Fair warning though, I am probably going to be making these four chapters shorter than the others. Since there will be a resolution in a separate chapter that just seems like the right thing to do. I do plan to fill that space though. For those of you who have been interested in that Danganronpa-Destiny crossover, I will be putting some samples of what I plan to do at the end of each of the four chapters. As much as I'd have liked to test the waters with a first chapter, I don't know if that is wise given Bungie's decision to drip feed content and, to an extent, lore. Mostly, I don't want future guardian Makoto to report to the Vanguard without me knowing if Uldren is taking Cayde's spot (or maybe when I guess, I can't tell if Bungie is just not being subtle or if this is them jerking the player base around.) If you're wondering why I bring up the Hunter Vanguard, or current lack of one, up specifically, it's because I see Makoto as a Hunter. I do main a Hunter, but this is more of "Makoto Naegi already wears a hoodie so it's easy to imagine a cloak in its place."**

 **But most of you didn't come here for that. So, without any further delay, here's the new chapter.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

It went against everything Naegi believed in to just stand by and watch as Saionji insulted Tsumiki. Even though each of them had explained that Saionji was just trying to "toughen up" Tsumiki, not that any of their attempts to explain it made much sense to Naegi, it still felt wrong.

 _If they thought a demonstration would help, I'm afraid they thought wrong,_ Naegi said to himself.

Naegi's face must have betrayed his thoughts because Koizumi soon said, "I know. It doesn't make any sense to me either, but Hiyoko-chan is adamant that this is going to work."

"I realize that Saionji-senpai is trying to help Tsumiki-senpai in her own way, but even if it wasn't unlikely that this would work, you can't toughen someone up by attacking their sense of self-worth if they don't have a sense of self-worth to begin with," Naegi said. He then added, "Still, it's a nice change from when Saionji-senpai was tormenting Tsumiki-senpai just for the fun of it."

Koizumi flinched at that and said, "I should have done something sooner."

"Senpai, it's alright. Tsumiki-senpai doesn't hold it against you. Besides, you're different now," Naegi assured his red-headed senpai.

"Only because of you. I didn't expect you to help us all as much as you did. You really turned out to be dependable," Koizumi told him. _Now I don't know what I, or any of us for that matter, would do without you,_ Koizumi mentally added while blushing.

"I'm glad you think so Senpai, but I don't think I did anything that great. I've only ever done what comes naturally to me," Naegi said. _Back when I first got to Hope's Peak, I was afraid that Koizumi-senpai and I would never be friends. I don't think she ever really expected anything from me in the beginning._

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Kitchen_

 _First Day of Classes_

In Naegi's opinion, the day had gone about as well as he could have hoped. From breakfast to dinner things had gone well enough, even if he still didn't feel welcome. It wasn't that he didn't understand, he did, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling. _I know that this whole situation is uncomfortable for them, it is for me too, but I hope the girls warm up to me soon,_ he thought as he scrubbed some pans from dinner. He shook his head and with a bit of a tired smile said, "I'm sure it will work out, I'm already at the bottom so there's nowhere to go but up."

*click*

"Hm?" Naegi had been under the impression that he was by himself, but that click had informed him otherwise. He turned his head to the side and saw one of his senpai, Koizumi Mahiru standing there with her camera raised.

"Good evening Senpai. Did you need my help with something?" Naegi asked. It was a weird question to ask someone who had just taken his picture, he knew. However, Koizumi had been one of the most vocal girls in her opposition to Naegi's presence at the dorm. Naegi hadn't really expected her to want anything to do with him for a while so he figured if she had come to see him willingly, she must have an important reason.

"You asked if I needed anything right away…Not bad, I suppose," Koizumi said, more to herself than to Naegi.

"Huh?"

"I was prepared to label you as 'Unreliable Naegi,' but I guess you aren't too bad. That said, you better man up and try even harder to do your best! Otherwise, I'll have to reevaluate you again," Koizumi warned.

To say this confused Naegi would be an understatement, so he simply nodded and said, "I will not disappoint you Senpai."

"Oh, I'm not expecting anything, so you really won't be able to disappoint me," Koizumi said matter-of-factly.

Naegi felt as though he had been punched in the stomach from that comment.

It must have shown on his face because Koizumi took one look at him and said, "Ah. I snapped the photo too soon. That dumb-looking face would have been perfect."

When he heard that, Naegi couldn't help but think, _Dumb-looking face...?_ _That's just hurtful._ One he processed what Koizumi had said though, he asked, "Senpai, why couldn't you just take another picture?"

"It's not like I wanted a picture of you or anything. I swear to every god who's listening that that's true. This...is just a record," Koizumi said defensively.

His curiosity piqued, Naegi asked, "What kind of record?"

With a frustrated sigh, Koizumi began to explain, "A record is just a record. I want a record that right now, we're all living together in this place. It's pretty simple...but in this kind of situation, it's easy for us to forget that, you know? So, I decided to make a record of everyone each day, so we won't forget."

Naegi just nodded at that, but couldn't help thinking, _Under normal circumstances that might be true Senpai, but I don't think I'm going to forget that I'm living with you girls anytime soon. For my sake I hope I don't forget that I'm an outsider at this dorm._

Koizumi wasn't done though. She went on to say, "But...taking pictures of guys isn't fun, so I guess it'll be fine if I only do that once every three days."

That punched in the stomach feeling returned, but Naegi couldn't say anything in response to that. Koizumi was the one who owned the camera after all.

"So, to answer your question, I have what I came for," Koizumi said as she left the kitchen.

Naegi was still having trouble processing what had just happened so there wasn't much he could say to Koizumi as she left. Maybe he would be able to talk to his senpai better if he knew more about them. He knew about a few of them at least, he had done a research project on Novoselic in junior high and he was sure he had heard at least one of Mioda's songs in the past, but he knew he had to do more. _Researching my classmates helped me relate to them better, so it should work for the girls at this dorm, right?_ he asked himself before finishing the dishes and heading to his room to see what he could learn about dormmates from the Hope's Peak forums.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Sunday_

Lunchtime was quickly approaching so Koizumi decided now would be a good time to take a break. Koizumi always enjoyed reviewing her work, it always felt wonderful to take pictures of people's smiling faces, but today didn't feel as rewarding as it usually did. She had a pretty good idea as to why too. All she needed to do was look through the pictures she took of the concert Naegi and Yukizome put on to cheer up Mioda.

 _I don't think I've ever seen such a radiant smile on Ibuki-chan's face. I guess Naegi-kun knew what he was doing,_ she thought. As she stared at the picture on the camera's screen, she didn't hear someone come in.

"Koizumi-senpai?"

"Hm?" Koizumi looked up and saw that Naegi had entered the dorm's common area. "N-naegi-kun? You shouldn't sneak up on girls like that!" Koizumi reprimanded.

"I wasn't sneaking though. I called out to you before, but you didn't answer, I swear," Naegi defended as he frantically waved his hands in front of himself.

"O-oh," Koizumi said as she blushed in embarrassment. "W-well what do you want?" she asked, trying to save face.

 _I guess she still hasn't warmed up to me yet,_ Naegi thought. "I was going to make lunch for myself, Ikusaba-san, Maizono-san, and Mioda-san. I wanted to know if you wanted me to make you something. I should still ask them, but I'm sure the others would be happy to have you join us," he explained.

"Oh, yeah sure," Koizumi said. _I guess he isn't so bad. At least he has manners. It's a start I guess,_ Koizumi thought as she reevaluated Naegi.

"You seemed distracted, is everything alright?" Naegi asked concerned. Whether Koizumi was his friend or whether she hated him, Naegi couldn't help but worry about others, although he really hoped she didn't hate him.

"I was just reviewing some of the photos I took today and from that concert of yours last night," Koizumi explained.

"May I see them?" Naegi asked.

"You'll probably think they're boring," Koizumi said, blushing at Naegi's interest in her work.

"I won't. Any photos taken by the Ultimate Photographer must be amazing," Naegi countered.

"Fine, but I warned you," Koizumi said as she handed over her camera.

With the camera in hand, Naegi scrolled through the photos and noticed that the pictures all had something in common. They were all of people smiling. _Everyone in these pictures looks so happy,_ he said to himself.

"These are the kinds of photos I take. They aren't all that amazing, but I enjoy it," Koizumi said.

 _You can almost feel the happiness flowing out from these photos,_ Naegi thought. As he continued to look through them, he noticed something else, _I guess her rule about taking pictures of boys once every three days doesn't just apply to me. I wonder why. Does she not take many pictures of boys because she doesn't let her guard down around them?_

As Koizumi saw a peaceful smile make its way onto Naegi's face, she said, "Well? At least tell me how you feel about them."

"Well Senpai, the one of Mioda-senpai from last night is probably my favorite, but that's probably only because I know what she had been going through last week. Seeing that smile on her face puts me at ease and lets me know that she's alright now. Don't get me wrong, I like all of the others too. We hear about all the problems there are in the world but seeing the smiles on everyone's faces is a good reminder that there is plenty of good out there too, we just don't always remember," Naegi said.

"Wow," Koizumi said, wide-eyed.

"Did I say something wrong Senpai?" Naegi asked.

"No, it's just I fully expected you to just say they were amazing," Koizumi said, realizing that maybe she hadn't given Naegi enough credit.

"Should I have?" Naegi asked, confused.

"Absolutely not! Words like "awesome" and "amazing" aren't words of praise at all. They sound half-assed and insincere... I really hate when people say stuff like that," Koizumi told him.

"Oh," Naegi said. He understood, more or less. He may not know much about photography, but he knew enough to know that it must have taken a great deal of patience to get the perfect photo, so he agreed that they deserved more than an "awesome" or an "amazing."

Koizumi continued, "Photos depict everything, whether it's beautiful or horrible. That's the truth contained in these images. That's why no matter what situation we're in, it's a photographer's duty to keep taking photos. That's basically what my mom taught me."

"Is she a photographer too?" Naegi asked.

"My mom is a pretty famous war photographer. But I... just take lots of photos of smiling people at normal places. But because the theme of my work is too conventional, people don't really care to judge it," Koizumi said. She sighed before continuing, "They just say stuff like, 'You should take more 'amazing' pictures.'"

"They've got that wrong!" Naegi shouted before he could stop himself. He continued, "I mean, maybe it's because we can see things like people smiling every day that we don't think of it as 'amazing' or 'interesting.' But if you look at it another way that just shows how easily we take moments like that for granted. What we need to remember is that these days don't last forever, one day we may look back and wish we had appreciated them more. I don't know if this makes any sense but, your photos remind me of the importance of what's right in front of us. Here and now."

"..."

"Koizumi-senpai?" Naegi asked. _Did I say something wrong?_ he asked himself.

"That was another good comment. That's two more than I expected," Koizumi said with a smile.

Naegi winced at that backhanded compliment. At least he hoped it was a compliment.

Now sporting a blush, Koizumi said, "I guess...I can show you my photos again next time. B-bye." With that she began to leave the room.

"W-wait, Senpai, don't you want lunch?" Naegi called after her.

"I'll eat later!" Koizumi called back. By this point, her face was as red as her hair. _I guess he's not so bad,_ she thought as she ran outside.

Once Koizumi was gone, Naegi said, "I'm not sure what Koizumi-senpai thinks of me, but I should probably brace myself for more of those 'compliments.' Good thing I get a lot of practice with Togami-kun." After that he just shrugged his shoulders and went to make lunch for him and his friends.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm: Laundry Room_

 _Ninth Week of Classes-Saturday_

It had been an eventful day for Naegi, he had met up with Komaru and the Asahinas. He hadn't expected to need to reassure Asahina that she was feminine, and he wasn't sure how successful he was. When he had called to make sure that Komaru had made it home alright, he had asked to speak with his mother, someone he knew could help him with Asahina. As much as he wanted to follow up with Asahina to make sure she would be okay, he unfortunately didn't have time to do it tonight. As eventful as today had been, tomorrow would be even more eventful since he would be at the opening of the Novoselic Embassy and he still had to do things to prepare. Specifically, he had to iron his shirt. He hadn't had much need for his suit since coming to Hope's Peak, so he was sure that it was okay, but he decided to go over it with a lint roller before he had to leave tomorrow just to be safe.

He had just plugged the iron in when he heard a voice.

"Ah, Naegi-kun!"

"Huh? Koizumi-senpai?" Indeed, it was. Koizumi had come to the laundry room with what appeared to be a basket of her underwear. When Naegi noticed that he turned red and did his best to avert his eyes. "I, uh, I didn't expect anyone to come here this evening," Naegi said.

Koizumi didn't answer right away, she was looking at the ironing board.

"Senpai, is everything alright?" Naegi asked.

"Remember to make sure that the iron is hot," Koizumi said.

"Yes Senpai!" Naegi said, before he thought, _It almost feels like the first time Kaa-san taught me how to do this._

"I have to say though, I'm impressed. You cook, you clean, you do handy work, and you do laundry. You really aren't like the other boys," Koizumi said.

"The others?" Naegi asked.

"That idiot Souda-kun almost never washes his jumpsuit. I'm just so used to boys being lazy," Koizumi explained.

Naegi couldn't stop himself from thinking, _Nidai-senpai might have a few things to say about that._

"Still…you shouldn't have waited until the last minute to do this," Koizumi lectured.

"I thought there was less of a risk of something happening to it that would get it wrinkled this way though," Naegi defended meekly. Koizumi's overbearing side was making him feel very small, almost like the regal aura Sonia exuded, except he always felt like he was being accused of doing something wrong.

"Well, fine…," Koizumi relented. It was only temporary though as she then said, "But if I see you tomorrow and you don't look presentable after Sonia-chan invited you, I'm gonna be really mad, okay!?"

"Y-yes Senpai!" Naegi said. In spite of being lectured, Naegi couldn't help but smile. He remembered his Otou-san's words from when he was a little boy after a rather harsh scolding. _"Makoto, you may not understand now but when we scold you it means that we care. Remember, people don't have time to waste scolding people they don't care about."_

Koizumi must have noticed the look on his face because she shot him a questioning gaze.

Naegi saw that and explained, "I'm just remembering something my Otou-san said. That people don't have time to waste scolding people they don't care about."

Koizumi was taken aback by that comment. Naegi's words had turned her into a blushing, stuttering mess. "T-th-that's… N-no… I… Don't flatter yourself," she finally managed to say as she looked off to the side.

"I guess there is a chance we'll be friends someday, huh Senpai?" Naegi asked happily. He felt bad that he embarrassed Koizumi, but he couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she was embarrassed.

"That's not it! It's because I don't want to deal with more guys like my no-good dad! Argh, jeez! That's why I hate boys!" Koizumi said, still red-faced.

"I don't think you've ever mentioned your Otou-san before… What's he like?" Naegi asked. He didn't want to pry, but he did want to know more about his senpai.

"I just said he was no-good. Mom's overseas most of the year. Heaven forbid he help around the house," Koizumi said.

"Then...do you do all the housework while she's gone?" Naegi asked. It sounded unfair, and it was. Koizumi was the child, as a teenager she should be expected to help around the house, but she should still be enjoying her childhood.

"I have no choice. There's no one else who'll do it for me," Koizumi said matter-of-factly.

Deciding that maybe he should stay away from this topic for now, Naegi asked, "Your Okaa-san was a...war photographer, right?" And she's overseas most of the year?"

"Yeah. But it's fine... I like my mom best when she's out taking photos," Koizumi said. A smile made its way onto Koizumi's face as she spoke of her mother, "Ever since I was little...the first thing she'd do when she came home was show me all the photos she took. Photos filled with people's smiles."

Naegi smiled at that. Koizumi's mother sounded very nice.

Koizumi continued, "I'm sure she probably took a lot of horrifying photos, too. But even so, she only showed ones where people were smiling and looked happy."

"So that's why you like photos of people smiling," Naegi said in understanding.

"Actually, I don't know what to do. Is it really okay for me to just keep taking photos of the world I live in?" Koizumi asked.

Naegi wanted to assure her that it was, but Koizumi wasn't done.

"I want to visit different worlds and take pictures of people's sparkling smiles there, just like my mom. But I guess life isn't so simple. I mean, if I go overseas, my dad's gonna be all alone," Koizumi finished.

 _Even though she complains about it, she's really good at taking care of people. Then again, she'd probably have to be. Otherwise there's no way she'd able to take so many smiling pictures,_ Naegi thought with a smile.

Koizumi didn't miss that smile and, getting defensive, asked, "Wh-What...? Why are you staring at me like that?"

"I just think it's sweet that you care about other people so much, Senpai," Naegi said.

Koizumi turned red again before she said, "Anyway...make sure you look presentable tomorrow! If you need it, I guess I can help you out and stuff. Just let me know right away if you do."

Naegi noticed that Koizumi was using a much gentler tone than usual. Then without warning, Koizumi walked away with her head down and the clothes basket she brought in her arms. She seemed to be in a bit of a rush to get away.

"Senpai, wait! What about your…er?" Naegi began to ask. He thought it would be impolite to call after her to ask about washing her underwear.

"I can do it later!" Koizumi shouted back. No further explanation was given.

 _Was she blushing just now or...am I overthinking things?_ Naegi asked himself. Realizing he couldn't know for sure, he shrugged his shoulders and ironed his shirt.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Tenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

Naegi still had a little over an hour to go before he needed to leave for the Novoselic Embassy, but he decided to get ready now. He wanted everyone's opinion on how he looked so as not to embarrass Sonia. As he went to search for his friends, he remembered Koizumi's offer from the previous evening.

 _I doubt the other girls will lie to me, but Koizumi-senpai may have a better eye for detail when it comes to people's appearances so maybe I should ask her,_ he thought as he hurried to look for the Ultimate Photographer. Before he got too far, he heard a noise that told him that she was closer than he thought.

*Click!*

 _Senpai's camera_ , Naegi thought relieved as he turned to see Koizumi examining her latest photograph.

"Whoa, what a dumb-looking face!" Koizumi exclaimed.

Naegi didn't exactly appreciate that comment, but he supposed being nervous and in a hurry probably would have had him making a face. " _Dumb" might be a little too far though_ , he thought. Curiosity got the better of him which led him to ask, "What kind of face am I making? Could you show me?"

"No way," Koizumi said as she shook her head and held her camera out of Naegi's reach.

Figuring that this was a battle he had no chance of winning, Naegi just decided to ask, "Other than making a "dumb-looking face' how do I look? I was actually looking for you to ask your opinion, Senpai."

"Hmm," Koizumi hummed as she took in Naegi's appearance. He didn't look too bad, his suit was clean, it looked like he had polished his shoes, his shirt was wrinkle free, his tie was… "Your tie is a little crooked. Here let me see it," Koizumi said as she stepped forward to straighten Naegi's tie.

"Thank you Senpai. I tried to make sure everything was perfect, but I guess I missed this," Naegi said sheepishly.

Had it been any other boy, Koizumi would have chewed them out, but Naegi was the only one who never really fought her when she offered criticism. Koizumi knew she could come across as bossy, so maybe the boys complaining was partially her fault, but she was just trying to help. _If they could just be more mature, I wouldn't need to get on them as much. If they were just more like Na…egi-kun… What am I thinking!?_ Koizumi thought as she backed away, blushing up a storm.

"Senpai?" Naegi questioned.

"I straightened your tie. It wasn't anything major…easy to miss. You look fine now," Koizumi said unable to look directly at Naegi.

"Thank you Senpai," Naegi said, still shocked by Koizumi's behavior. Trying to find a way to calm Koizumi down, Naegi asked, "I don't suppose that you would erase that other photo and take it again? I'm sure I look more photogenic now that my tie is straight."

It seemed to have the desired effect as Koizumi said, "Nope, can't do it," and stuck her tongue out.

 _That's better. Koizumi-senpai looks like she's having fun again,_ Naegi thought happily.

Unaware of what Naegi was thinking, Koizumi continued, "I never erase a photo once I take it. That's my policy. No matter what kind of photo it is, the moment captured in it only exists at that time." Koizumi looked like there was something else she wanted to add before she started to say, "Also..."

"Also…?" Naegi asked.

"N-Nothing. A-Anyway...You look fine, so you shouldn't cause problems for Sonia-chan. At least not as far as your appearance is concerned," Koizumi said.

Naegi knew that Koizumi was trying to change the subject, but even if he didn't have somewhere to be, he thought that it was best not to force Koizumi to speak if she didn't want to. Instead he just said, "I won't let you or Sonia-senpai down, Koizumi-senpai," with a deep bow at the end.

"W-well just do your best. I'm sure you'll do fine. Sonia-chan was teaching you proper etiquette after all," Koizumi said. _It's weird, but I believe him. Maybe I have been too hard on him,_ Koizumi thought. Pushing those thoughts aside she pushed him by his shoulder and said, "Now get going, you don't want to be late."

"Thank you again Senpai. I'll be sure to repay you," Naegi said as he left to catch his ride to the Novoselic Embassy.

"I hope he and Sonia-chan have a nice time," Koizumi said to herself after Naegi had gone. Later that afternoon, when the hostage situation began, she couldn't help but think she may have jinxed them. That evening when it had ended, she had lectured Souda about agreeing to do strange jobs for total strangers. Had Naegi not gotten shot and been taken to the hospital to have the bullet removed from his shoulder, she would have lectured him about being reckless. Even if he had saved Sonia, he had made everyone worry about him when they saw his shoulder. She wouldn't admit it until much later, but in spite of his recklessness, not only had her junior not let her down, he had made her proud.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm_

 _Eleventh Week of Classes-Saturday_

Koizumi was depressed. Anyone with knowledge of what Class 77-B and Class 78 had been doing for the past week would think it was because their hot spring trip had ended. That may have been true for some of the students but not for Koizumi.

No, what had her depressed was a conversation she had recently with her junior, Asahina Aoi. Apparently, the younger girl was having a confidence crisis. She did not think that she was feminine. Koizumi's response to that was to have a crisis of her own. "Someone like Aoi-chan can have self-esteem issues," and "What does that mean for a plain girl like me?" Koizumi couldn't stop herself from thinking, and voicing, those concerns.

Despite her title as the "Ultimate Photographer," Koizumi always thought of herself as rather ordinary. She wasn't beautiful like some of her other classmates. She wasn't as amazing as her mother. She didn't have an amazing talent like the other students.

"That's not true."

"Huh?" Koizumi came out of her stupor to see Naegi giving her a concerned look.

Answering her unasked question, Naegi explained, "You were talking to yourself Senpai."

"O-oh," Koizumi said as she looked away in embarrassment. _It would have been bad enough if one of the girls or Yukizome-sensei heard that but why did it have to be him,_ she thought.

"Koizumi-senpai, I don't really know what you think of me, so maybe my opinion doesn't mean anything to you, but all of those things you said…they aren't true, at least I don't think so," Naegi said. He continued, "I don't think I've ever seen any of your mother's photos so maybe I can't say anything one way or the other as far as that goes, but I assure you that the other two things aren't true."

"You're just being nice, I told you that I hate when people say things that are half-assed and insincere," Koizumi reminded him.

"I mean it! Koizumi-senpai is a beautiful girl with a kind and caring heart. Maybe it is true that you come across as harsh when you scold people, but I think that just shows that you're not just a pretty face, but someone with a beautiful heart to match," Naegi blurted out. After realizing what he said, he turned red and covered his face with his hands.

Koizumi didn't fare much better. Usually boys would just grumble or tell her she was a pain. None of the boys her age had ever said anything like what Naegi had just said. Despite the embarrassment the two were feeling, Koizumi had to know something else, "D-do you really think I have an amazing talent too?"

By this point, Naegi had calmed down enough to say, "Of course I do Senpai. Your talent can make people smile. I know it isn't as flashy as some of the talents of the other students, but I would say that makes it one of the greatest."

"Sato-chan said something similar," Koizumi said.

"Hmm?" Naegi asked.

"Nothing, it's just you sounded like a friend of mine. Although you took it a step farther than she did," Koizumi said.

"Oh?" Naegi wasn't sure where Koizumi was going with this.

"I do appreciate it though. I feel a lot better now, so, thank you," Koizumi said happily.

"I'm always happy to help, Senpai," Naegi said, relieved that he had made Koizumi feel better.

"You really are, aren't you?" Koizumi asked quietly enough that Naegi didn't hear.

"What was that Senpai?" Naegi asked. He might not have caught what Koizumi said, but he knew she said something.

"Oh nothing," Koizumi said coyly as she walked away. For the rest of the evening her smile was brighter than the sun.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Thirteenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

"HE DID WHAT!?" Koizumi screamed.

Breakfast at the dorm was rarely ever a quiet event, which, given the personalities of some of the girls was probably to be expected. Even more rare however, was that this time, the noise was coming from Koizumi.

Just as Tsumiki had said, Naegi's hand did indeed swell, and noticeably at that. This of course prompted questions from the girls who were not already aware of how Asahina's date had ended. While they had found it odd that Asahina had returned with Ogami and Naegi, yesterday they had just written it off as a bad date and Asahina met up with the two by coincidence. Of course, Naegi's hand hadn't showed any signs of swelling yesterday. It wasn't until Asahina began recounting the events of the previous day that the girls had connected Naegi's injury with Asahina's date.

"Naegi-kun punched Fukuyama-san and told him that I was too good for someone like him," Asahina said, blushing as she recalled Naegi's exact words.

Koizumi was about to ask why, and then proceed to lecture Naegi about getting into fights when she was distracted.

She wasn't the only one as all eyes turned towards Enoshima, who was in her chair laughing at something on her phone. "The end of Asahina-san's date went viral," she explained before showing the other girls her phone.

Even though Koizumi should have known Naegi better by this point, she was still ready to judge Naegi for what she was seeing in the video. He had, in fact, sucker punched the other boy. _Because of course he did,_ Koizumi thought, _Why are boys so violent?_

"What? There was way more to it than that!" Asahina said as she saw the few seconds of video where Naegi tapped Fukuyama's shoulder and then punched him.

"What do you mean Aoi-chan?" Koizumi asked.

"Junko-chan, don't go selectively editing videos of our classmates," Ikusaba said as she pulled out her own phone.

"I don't know what you're talking about Muku-nee," Enoshima said innocently.

"'Monokuma' is your user name, isn't it?" Ikusaba asked.

Enoshima's answer was to glare at her sister.

"Look at the comments: 'The full video is so much better.' 'Quit trying to gin up outrage!' There are a few making snap judgments but everyone else is linking to the full video," Ikusaba said as she clicked one of the links. "Here. This video captured everything."

Indeed, it had: Fukuyama running into the little girl; his meltdown; Naegi's response to it; even the young model running off with his tail between his legs. It was all there.

Ikusaba began reading the comments, "'Looks like chivalry isn't dead.' 'I'm not a violent person, but that prick had it coming.'" She scrolled through the comments section some more and said, "Some of the people who judged NAegi-kun because of the other video are commenting, 'I'd better go delete my comment on the other video, the kid in the hoodie was in the right.' 'I still think he probably shouldn't have punched that other boy, but I can't say he wasn't asking for it.'"

Koizumi was actually ashamed of herself after watching the full video. She had been living at the same dorm as Naegi for 13 weeks, she should have known better. He was no violent brute, but he had limits just like everyone else, and belittling his friend had pushed him to it. _He was just sticking up for Aoi-chan and I was about to lecture him for being violent,_ she thought.

"Enoshima-san could you take that video down?" Naegi asked as he had entered from the kitchen. Working with one hand was a lot more difficult than he thought it would be.

"Come on Naegi-kun, it was just a joke," Enoshima said with smile.

"'A little defamation between friends, right?' I'm sorry, I can't let this go. Had I been identified as a Hope's Peak student, I could have caused problems for the whole school," Naegi explained.

"It might be a little late for that Naegi-kun," Ikusaba said, now worried for her crush. "People in the comments identified you as the hero from the Novoselic Embassy," Ikusaba explained.

"O-oh," Naegi said, worried if he'd be allowed to continue attending Hope's Peak Academy.

"It's all mostly positive though," Yukizome said. By this time, she and the girls who cared to check pulled out their phones and were reading the comments too.

"This one gave you a new title, 'Ultimate Hero.'" Maizono said.

"'First he prevents an international incident and now he defends the honor of teenage girls, keep an eye on this kid,'" Mioda read.

"'Hope's Peak's Hero.' Darling, this person sees what I do," Sonia gushed.

"Ahh, you girls took all the good ones, all the rest are from girls saying how cute he is and asking if someone could introduce them to him," Owari complained. This information caused her and her rivals to try to glare holes through their phones.

Those comments put Naegi at ease as he sat down and joined the girls for breakfast.

 _I don't have to say anything but…_ "Naegi-kun, I owe you an apology," Koizumi announced.

"For what Senpai?" Naegi asked.

"It's just, in the time I've known you, you've always been kind and helpful, but when I heard and saw what had happened, at first I…" Koizumi trailed off as she looked down.

"It's alright Senpai, we've all been guilty of confirmation bias. At least I know I have," Naegi admitted sheepishly.

"Still though…" Koizumi began.

"It's only natural to want to be right Senpai, but we need to practice prudence when things like this happen, at least that's what Oji-san always says," Naegi said.

"Who?" Koizumi asked.

"My Otou-san's otou-san, Naegi Reiji. He's a judge," Naegi answered. Trying to remember something, Naegi continued, "He told me that we all have biases, it's part of being human, what's important is being aware of them and doing our best not to let those biases interfere with how we view and interact with others. After that he made me promise to be more careful of my own."

"Oh? Care to share why he asked you to do that?" Koizumi asked jokingly, although she believed that it would have been a good story.

"Maybe later, but I have to get ready after breakfast," Naegi said. Turning to Owari, he said, "Owari-senpai, I've been thinking about what to teach Sadaharu-kun and the others to cook this week, I'd like to run it past you when we're in the kitchen."

Owari took this opportunity to smirk at her rivals one-by-one before saying, "Sure thing Naegi-kun, and thanks for doing this. We all love it when you come over."

While Owari's rivals glared at her, Koizumi was thinking, _That's sweet of him. I wonder…if I've been unfair to him, have I been unfair to the other boys?_ Naegi always gave her a lot to think about.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Courtyard_

 _Thirteenth Week of Classes-Wednesday_

With classes having ended for the day, Koizumi had decided to meet up with her friend from the Reserve Course, Fuwa Sato. She was a girl with violet eyes and long, dark-green, wavy hair that reached past her shoulders. She wore the Reserve Course uniform, which consisted of a long-sleeved button-up, a red necktie, a black-pleated skirt, and brown shoes with matching socks. She and Koizumi had been friends for a long time.

As Koizumi was showing her friend her most recent photos, her phone rang.

"Hello, this is Koizumi Mahiru," she said.

" _Mahiru-chan, it's so good to hear your voice,"_ a woman's voice said.

"M-mom!?" Koizumi asked excitedly, it had been months since she had heard her mother's voice.

" _It's me! I just called to tell you that I'll be home this Saturday and will be here for at least a month!"_ the woman, Mrs. Koizumi said excitedly.

"That's great Mom! I can't wait," Koizumi said.

" _I can't either Sweetie, I've missed you and your father so much,"_ Mrs. Koizumi said. She was silent for a bit before she asked, _"Was he alright the last time you saw him?"_

"He was okay. Same as he always is really," Koizumi answered. Thinking of her father reminded her that she probably had to get things ready for when her mother came home.

" _Oh."_ her mother said. Koizumi thought she imagined it, but she thought she heard guilt in her mother's voice.

"It's fine, I'll make sure everything is ready for when you get home," Koizumi said.

" _That's my girl. I know things haven't always been easy on you and that it's only gotten harder since you started going to Hope's Peak Academy and I'm sorry about that,"_ Mrs. Koizumi said.

"It's fine Mom, it's not your fault," Koizumi said.

" _Well actually, I-…What? Now? But I-… Oh. Oh, that is bad. Just let me say good-bye to my daughter and I'll be right there,"_ Koizumi heard her mother say. Returning her attention to her daughter, Mrs. Koizumi said, _"I'm sorry Mahiru-chan, I have to go now, but I'll see you this weekend. I love you!"_

"I love you too, Mom, see you then," Koizumi said as the call ended.

"Your mom is coming home? That's great!" Fuwa said happily.

"Yeah, it-,"

"Koizumi-senpai!" Naegi's voice interrupted as he ran over to greet the older girl. Seeing that she was with someone he immediately began apologizing, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were with someone."

"It's alright Naegi-kun," Koizumi said. She wasn't going to admit it just yet, but she had developed a soft spot for the younger boy. Realizing that the two had never met, Koizumi introduced them, "Sato-chan, this is Naegi Makoto, he's the boy that got placed in the girls' dorm by mistake. Naegi-kun, this is Fuwa Sato, she and I have been friends since junior high."

"It's very nice to meet you Fuwa-senpai," Naegi said as he extended his hand.

"Likewise," Fuwa said, although Koizumi thought it sounded a little forced. When Fuwa shook Naegi's hand Koizumi thought that she must have imagined it.

Getting back to why he had come over, Naegi asked, "Have either of you seen Mioda-senpai? She challenged me to a game of hide-and-seek, but I should probably get started on dinner soon."

"We haven't seen her Naegi-kun," Koizumi said.

Naegi finally noticed something was different about Koizumi and said, "Koizumi-senpai, you seem pretty happy."

"Yep. My mom is coming home this weekend and she'll be home for a while," Koizumi answered happily.

"That's great Senpai, I'm happy for you," Naegi said.

"Thanks. I just hope Dad did something to get ready for her," Koizumi said, her mood coming down at the thought of having to take care of her father.

"I know it's not fair to have to take care of your own parent when you're still a teenager, Koizumi-senpai, but maybe there's a reason your Otou-san is the way he is," Naegi suggested.

"What could you possibly know about her situation?" Fuwa asked angrily.

Naegi knew he had overstepped his boundaries, but he had already begun to say his piece, so he might as well finish. "Nothing really, but in the time that I've been at Hope's Peak, I feel like I've come to understand Koizumi-senpai, at least a little. I don't think she'd continue to love someone that she really believed was no-good. After that, I'm just assuming that her Kaa-san is the same way," Naegi explained.

Fuwa was getting ready to respond, but Koizumi spoke up first, "My mom sounded like she wanted to say something, I think it was about Dad, but she wasn't able to finish before she had to get back to work."

Naegi was curious about this piece of information, but it was a matter between Koizumi and her parents, so all he said was, "I'm sorry Senpai, I know I tend to stick my nose where it doesn't belong, but I promise I never mean to cause problems."

"I know, it's fine but I'm sure if there were more to it, I'd know about it already," Koizumi said, although she was curious about what her mother was going to say. _I said it wasn't her fault that I have to do all of this stuff for Dad, but then she started to say something. Was she going to blame herself? Why would she do that?_ Koizumi asked herself.

"You're probably right, but some families are pretty good at keeping secrets from each other," Naegi said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Anyway, I'm sorry if I offended either of you. Fuwa-senpai, it was nice meeting you. I'm going to look for Mioda-senpai for a little longer before I have to give up," Naegi said with a bow before he left.

"Why do boys act like they know everything?" Fuwa asked when Naegi was out of earshot.

"He's not so bad, he's helped a few of the other girls with their own problems. I think he was just trying to help me too," Koizumi said in Naegi's defense.

"You don't think he was right do you?" Fuwa asked, shocked at what she was hearing.

"I don't know," Koizumi said. That was how she usually felt when she talked to Naegi, confused. Was she wrong? Had she been too hard on her father? Had she allowed a misunderstanding to affect her relationship with others? She didn't know, but she had a feeling that she would find out.

* * *

 _Koizumi Family Home-Front Door_

 _Thirteenth Week of Classes-Saturday_

 _This weekend is going to be great,_ Koizumi thought as she reached her front door. She had informed the school that she would be spending the weekend with her parents so as to spend as much time with her mother as possible. The only snag had been when she had told everyone at the dorm this information, Saionji had been less than pleased. The other girls were able to finally get the Ultimate Traditional Dancer to let her friend go though. _Hiyoko-chan may have had a growth spurt since our first year, but she still acts like a little girl,_ Koizumi thought with a small laugh. That little episode had made her late however, she had missed the train she had originally planned to catch and had to wait twenty minutes for the next one. She had wondered if she would be able to beat her mother home, but it seems like she had.

Opening the door, she called to her father, "Dad, I'm home!"

She didn't receive an answer, which was odd. Usually her father came out and asked if she was alright even if she had simply gone for a walk.

Getting worried, Koizumi ventured further into her home. She eventually heard heavy breathing and ran to the source. Her father was in the living room, on the couch, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.

"Oh God, Dad!" Koizumi screamed as she ran to her father. Was he having a heart attack? He kept himself in good shape, but it was possible. She must have been with her father for longer than she thought because she then heard her mother's voice shout, "Kota!"

Koizumi looked to the side and saw her mother run into the room, take her husband's face in her hands and say, "Kota, it's Ryuko. Please, calm down. Everything is fine."

Mr. Koizumi was able to gasp out, "Ma-Mahiru?"

"Mahiru is right here, she's fine, see?" To illustrate this, Mrs. Koizumi pulled Koizumi in close so that Mr. Koizumi could get a better look at her.

That seems to have done the trick as Mr. Koizumi started to relax and his breathing returned to normal. Once that happened, he pulled the two most important women in his life into a hug.

Koizumi was confused, and once her father loosened his embrace she asked, "What just happened? Shouldn't we take Dad to the hospital?"

Mrs. Koizumi knew that her daughter was shaken up by what she had just seen and knew that explanations were in order, but first she turned to her husband and asked, "Kota, what happened? Did your medicine stop working?"

"Medicine?" Koizumi asked.

"No Ryuko, Mahiru was late and I just couldn't help but worry. I didn't know what happened," Mr. Koizumi explained.

"Wh-what medicine? Why would me being late do that to Dad? What was that just now?" Koizumi asked more confused than ever.

"You never told her?" Mrs. Koizumi asked.

"No, I didn't want to cause more problems for either of you," Mr. Koizumi said.

"I suspected it last time I called Mahiru-chan, but I didn't think you could hide it this long," Mrs. Koizumi said, slightly impressed, but saddened that her husband and daughter had a rift between them due to something beyond anyone's control.

"Hide what? What are you two talking about?" Koizumi asked, frustrated that her questions weren't being answered.

"Mahiru-chan, your father suffers from anxiety disorder," Mrs. Koizumi said.

"Dad does? Since when?" Koizumi asked.

"Since always, Sweetheart," Mr. Koizumi admitted sadly. His daughter already had a low opinion of him, now she was going to think he was crazy.

Mrs. Koizumi continued for her husband, "The reason your father has trouble finding work is because of something that happened after we got married. I was on my first major assignment. Your father was worried of course, but he was fine until he received a call." At this point, Mrs. Koizumi began undoing a pashmina scarf she was wearing. Koizumi had always been curious about that, no matter what her mother wore, she always wore a scarf with it. When she saw what was under it, she gasped. A jagged scar, faded slightly from time but still visible, ran across her mother's neck.

"Nasty, right? A bomb went off and I got hit with some shrapnel, it missed hitting anything vital, but I still required emergency surgery. When your father heard, he suffered his first panic attack. He'd always been a nervous individual, but after that it got worse. He had trouble functioning while I was still away and lost his job. His employer didn't want to hear that it was anxiety," Mrs. Koizumi said angrily.

"This was years ago, when the stigma attached to mental illness was much worse than it is today," Mr. Koizumi interjected.

"That doesn't make it right!" Mrs. Koizumi shouted. After calming herself, she continued, "When I got home and heard what happened I suggested that I could give up being a war photographer and find work closer to home, but your father…"

"Ryuko, I couldn't ask you to give up a job you love. It's been hard but we've never gone without," Mr. Koizumi said.

"Kota, why didn't you tell Mahiru?" Mrs. Koizumi asked.

"When Mahiru was three-years-old, I took her to the park. Some girls who looked to be five came over and saw me and asked where her mother was. When she told them, they started saying that she was lying and that you abandoned us. I knew it wasn't true but seeing our little girl crying was more than I could bear. If other children picked on her because you weren't around how much worse would Mahiru feel if she found out that I was…" Mr. Koizumi said.

"You are NOT crazy!" Mrs. Koizumi shouted. "You sacrifice for this family in your own way. I wish I had known that you had kept this a secret. Our little girl would have understood, you should give her more credit," she said.

"I don't give him any credit, why do I deserve any?" Koizumi asked holding back tears. She recalled every instance of her belittling her father in front of other people and the flood gates opened. "Daddy!" Koizumi cried as she hugged her father tightly. "I-I'm *hic* so so-sor-."

"It's okay. It's okay," Mr. Koizumi said as he comforted his daughter.

"Everything is going to be okay from now on," Mrs. Koizumi said as she joined the embrace.

* * *

Once things had calmed down, the Koizumi family began to enjoy their time together. Koizumi still felt bad, but her father assured her that it was fine. At dinner, Koizumi couldn't help remembering what Naegi had said earlier that week and, without meaning to, said, "Naegi-kun was right."

"Who is Naegi-kun?" Mr. Koizumi asked.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Mrs. Koizumi asked excitedly.

Koizumi turned as red as her hair and said, "N-no. H-he's th-this guy I know. He's really understanding. He told me that maybe there was a reason Dad is the way he is that I didn't know about."

"Naegi-kun sounds like a smart boy," Mrs. Koizumi said.

"He is. He's in the year behind me but he's always helping everyone, and he always seems to know just what to do," Koizumi said.

"You should invite him over!" Mrs. Koizumi suggested happily.

"No boys!" Mr. Koizumi shouted.

"It's not like that at all," Koizumi said before burying her face in her hands. The rest of the evening was filled with either her mother teasing her or her father saying she couldn't date until she was his age.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Front Gate_

 _Fourteenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

It had only been a day-and-a-half, but the Koizumi Mahiru who stepped onto campus was not the same as the Koizumi Mahiru who had left to visit her family. Learning about how her father had suffered in silence for so many years had caused Mahiru to rethink how she had treated all the men in her life. While she knew that some of them were, in fact, immature, she knew that she now had to look beyond the surface. She had believed that as a photographer she could capture people's feelings on film, and to an extent she could. Perhaps it was because of that belief that she never saw a need to look deeper. She looked at a picture she had taken of her parents just before she left, it was the most beautiful picture she had ever taken in her opinion. In finally coming to understand her father and in his understanding that he did not need to bear his burden alone anymore, she believed that his smile had never been brighter.

It was then that Koizumi thought back to that picture of Mioda she had taken months ago. She realized why that smile was so beautiful now, because that smile had come after sharing in Mioda's pain the week after that ill-fated concert.

She had come to this conclusion after her mother had shown her all of the photos she had taken overseas, the good, the bad, and the ugly. There was a world of difference in the context that the photos beyond what just the smiles showed: the horrors of war; the suffering of people; their joy in a hard-earned peace. She could pick out who was hiding their pain and who was rejoicing at the prospect of a brighter future.

Of course, change does not come easy, Koizumi knew this, so as she made her way to the dorm, she kept her eyes peeled for someone who could help her with what she felt she needed to do next.

"Hey Koizumi-senpai! Welcome back," a male voice greeted happily. It seems he had found her first.

"Hi Naegi-kun. It's good to be back," Koizumi greeted.

Naegi paused for a moment to take a better look at his senior and asked, "Did something happen Senpai? You seem different."

"A lot actually," Koizumi said before she told Naegi of what had transpired during her visit with her parents.

"I'm glad your Otou-san is okay, Senpai," Naegi said.

"Yeah, me too. Turns out that you were right," Koizumi admitted.

"I just had a feeling that there was more to the story, Senpai," Naegi confessed.

 _I wish I had considered that there was more to Dad than what I was seeing,_ Koizumi thought. A moment later she asked, "I actually need to ask you for something... Will you listen to me?"

"I'll listen to anything you have to say, Senpai. I just hope I can do whatever it is you need," Naegi said.

"You don't need to be scared. It's not like I'm going to make you to do something impossible," Koizumi said. She thought for a moment before adding, "But this is something only you can do."

That served to confuse Naegi, who asked, "Only me?"

Koizumi nodded before making her request, "Can you take a photo of me?"

Naegi didn't mind, but he still didn't understand. "You want me to take your picture? But why me?" he asked. He then said, "I don't mind Senpai, but I haven't really taken many pictures before, and I don't even know how to use your camera. Wouldn't you rather Saionji-senpai or Fuwa-senpai take it?"

"N-no, it's fine. I just want you to take it. In fact, it has to be you," Koizumi said shyly.

"Senpai, I'm not sure I understand, but if you're sure…" Naegi trailed off as he held out his hand to accept Koizumi's camera. It should have been a simple request. Had it been anyone else, it probably would have been, but to have the Ultimate Photographer ask you to take her picture…Naegi felt as honored as he felt nervous.

Naegi took a deep breath and said to himself, "If I remember correctly, it's better to take one step forward..."

"Yep... When you're not used to taking photos, you somehow always end up taking one step back," Koizumi said. Remembering that it was her picture that was about to be taken, Koizumi's feelings of self-consciousness returned, and she said, "Oh...but...you don't have to do that right now."

This didn't help ease Naegi's own concerns, but he powered through and focused on Koizumi.

*Click!*

As soon as he released the shutter, Koizumi immediately ran over and took the camera from his hands.

"Huh? Does my face really look like this?" she asked. Then she laughed and said, "Hahaha...I look a little goofy. I guess you are a novice."

"I don't think I did too badly though," Naegi said.

"Yeah...it'll work," Koizumi said.

"Work for what?" Naegi asked.

"I realized I didn't have many photos of myself," Koizumi began. After she found the right words she continued, "I needed a record of myself. I've never really thought to take progress photos before, but I realize it's something I need to do."

"What do you mean Senpai?" Naegi asked.

"Knowing what I know now, I've had to rethink a lot of things in the past day-and-a-half. I know some people think I act like I know everything, and they were right. My dad, my classmates, even you, I had already judged all of you when I first met you. In the back of my mind, I think I always knew that was wrong, but it wasn't until yesterday that it hit home. I know that progress photos are used for people who want to lose weight or get into shape, so no one else will understand, but I want to change. I need to remember who I am now. The me...who's here like this," Koizumi said as she pointed to herself in the picture. Koizumi then said, "That's why you had to be the one to take it."

"What do you mean?" Naegi asked.

"This picture is a record of who I am now, but if you take it, it's also my goal. I really wanted a record of myself as you see me," Koizumi admitted with a blush. Seeing that Naegi didn't quite understand, she went on, "Naegi-kun, I don't know how you saw me when we first met, but in the time that I've known you, I've learned that your first instinct is to always see the best in everyone. I want to be the person you see me as, the 'beautiful girl with a kind and caring heart.' Will you keep recording my progress until then?"

"Of course, Senpai," Naegi nodded with a bright and eager smile.

"Thanks, Naegi-kun," Koizumi said happily. "I know! If you're interested, I'll give you my old camera!" she added.

"Are you sure Senpai?" Naegi asked.

"It's fine! I want you to use it. I'll make sure I teach you how to take photos," Koizumi said happily. Then getting serious, she said, "Please watch my progress from now on."

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _She's changed so much, all three of them have,_ Naegi thought as he looked from Koizumi to Tsumiki to Saionji.

 _I needed to change, we all did. I guess it was good that I started before Hiyoko-chan, otherwise we might not all be as close as we are now,_ Koizumi thought. _I still don't think I agree with what Naegi-kun did, but I understand why he did it, Hiyoko-chan was getting out of control,_ as she remembered a dinner one evening at the dorm. It was that evening that she was forced to realize that not only had she been too hard on the men in her life, she had been too lenient on Saionji.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fourteenth Week of Classes-Friday_

It had only been a few days, but it was clear that Koizumi was making an effort. She was definitely showing more patience with the boys, even if she was seen with a stress ball every day after dealing with certain members of her class. She had also adopted a gentler tone, at least as long as no one did anything too outrageous.

"Koizumi-san, it's nice to see you getting along with the boys. I know some of them can be a little over the top, but I think it's fine to let them enjoy being high school students in their own way," Yukizome said regarding the changes in her student. The girls were just sitting down to dinner as Naegi brought everything out.

"Over the top is right Sensei," Koizumi sighed as she thought of how many stress balls she had gotten from the school's Ultimate Therapist, Gekkogahara Miaya. Koizumi then added, "But I realize that maybe I've been a little too hard on them in the past. More than that, I realize that maybe there are reasons they act the way they do that I don't know about. I'm still going to be hard on them when I have to be though."

"Nothing wrong with that Senpai," Naegi said as he was getting ready to sit down. Before he could however a loud cry of, "I'M SORRY!" pierced the air. All eyes turned to Tsumiki and Saionji.

"Pig barf, why don't you get out of here before you ruin everyone's appetite?" Saionji phrased that as a question, but anyone who knew her knew it was a demand.

"B-but w-when c-can I-I…?" Tsumiki began through tears.

Koizumi didn't know what the cause was this time, but she knew that Saionji's behavior had been getting worse lately. As much as she wanted to stand up for Tsumiki, it was important that the girl be strong on her own.

"Tsumiki-san stay where you are. Saionji-san, Tsumiki-san couldn't possibly ruin anyone's appetite," Yukizome said more forcefully than she normally would. It seemed Koizumi wasn't the only one to notice that Saionji had been being more bratty than usual.

"Saionji-senpai, I think you should apologize to Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi said.

"That's nice, but I don't listen to servants. Do something useful and get me a drink," Saionji ordered.

"Okay," Naegi said without a fuss.

He came back shortly and gave Saionji a glass full of what appeared to be fruit juice. Saionji took one sip and spat it back out. "BLAH! WHAT DID YOU JUST GIVE ME?!" she demanded to know.

* * *

 _Present Day_

Both students were shaken from their reminiscing by Tsumiki's voice.

"Naegi-kun," the nurse said as she ran over to the younger boy. In doing so, she tripped and left herself rather…exposed.

Through gritted teeth, Saionji said, "Mikan-nee, you can't always run to Makoto-nii and have him fight your battles for you."

"She's right Mikan-chan," Koizumi said as one of her eyes twitched as Naegi went to help the Ultimate Nurse up.

"I'm sorry," Tsumiki said.

"It's true that Tsumiki-senpai needs to stand up for herself, but it's also important that she knows we're here for her," Naegi said. Knowing what he knew about the poor girl, he knew just how much she needed to understand that. He placed his hand on the nurse's shoulder to show support and gave her a friendly smile.

"Okay, I'll try," Tsumiki said with a small smile. _I won't let you down, Naegi-kun,_ she thought.

Naegi saw that smile and thought, _I can't fight all of Tsumiki-senpai's battles, but still, I'll do what I can to protect that smile._

* * *

 **To be continued next time.**

 **Special thanks once again to Pupla for proofreading.**

 **Well, you already knew that but it's even more important this time. Mahiru is only one part of this and the story of her growth as a person still isn't done. She hasn't fallen for our favorite Luckster completely, but she's close.**

 **Was I too hard on her though? Seriously, I'm asking. I think I might have been. Then again, she would be the one with the most to say about a boy in the girls' dorm, so she'd probably be pretty hard on Makoto and no one can look good when they are too hard on Makoto. At least I don't think so.**

 **Ah Mahiru, yes, some men are scum, but you know what? Some women are scum too.**

 **Kind of had psychology drive the chapter. Parentification, Anxiety, and how some children will vilify the parent that raises them and deifies the parent that isn't around. During the course of my research, I found out that mental illness is still stigmatized in Japan, although the articles I found were, at best, as recent as 2015, so you never know, things change. Here is what I found though:**

 **Only 5% of Japanese people believe that mentally ill people can recover from their illness.**

 **A survey done on employers found out that 61% of people would never employ someone with mental illness.**

 **Only 20% of psychological professionals believed that people with mental illness should live in a community without being hospitalized**

 **77% of mental health professionals in japan believed that it was dangerous for mentally ill people to live by themselves.**

 **Interviews and surveys found that Japanese people are generally very unwilling to get married or start a relationship with someone with a mental illness. A site like Online Social Community for Adults with Mental Illness could not exist in Japan**

 **Approximately 75% of survey respondents were completely understanding of someone not renting a room to someone just because they had a mental illness**

 **It is important to note that generally mental illness stigma is stronger in OLDER people than younger people. But since Japan has an aging population, well you know how that works.**

 **As for picking anxiety disorder, I have firsthand experience with that, never had a panic attack or anything, but since it runs in my family, I've seen what it does to people when their medicine doesn't work. As for Mr. Koizumi hiding it, people have hidden worse from their families for years and years, so it's not entirely outside the realm of possibility.**

 **Did you know panic attacks can last for over half an hour? I didn't until I did the research.**

 **As for why Mr. and Mrs. Koizumi were still together, it's never stated that they weren't, and I needed Mahiru to realize that she doesn't know everything. I could have just made Mr. Koizumi very laid back, but Mahiru would never have learned anything.**

 **On why I gave Sato the family name Fuwa: Who here has watched Shimoneta? Doesn't she look like Hyouka? If she looks like Mad Seaweed I might as well give her Mad Seaweed's last name.**

 **One more thing: You've probably all noticed that I kept switching between mom and dad, and Okaa-san and Otou-san, and mother and father. Should I pick one set and stick with it? I just have Makoto and some of the others use Okaa-san and Otou-san to show how respectful he can be and how proud he is of his Japanese heritage. Not that I believe that the others aren't proud, mind you, just that I think that at least half of the cast of characters are likely to be open about accepting Western influences. I don't know, maybe I should pick a set and correct previous chapters as needed.**

 **Mikan is up next. Who wants to guess what Makoto gave Hiyoko to drink? You have two more chapters to guess correctly.**

 **For those interested, here is a little taste of what I have planned for when I get around to that crossover of mine.**

* * *

Flash

* * *

" _The Light lives in all places, in all things. You can block it, even try to trap it, but the Light will find its way._ "

—The Speaker.

* * *

In the vacuum of space, far beyond the Sol System an entity of unknown age and origin made its way through the stars. It had been known by many names, the most recent of which was "The Great Machine." But it would always consider itself "The Traveler." A massive white sphere, a disciple of the Sky, the Light. Once again, it was forced to flee its ancient enemy, the Deep, the Darkness. The poor Eliksni, it could only hope that the majority of that race survived the onslaught of the champions of the Darkness, the Hive.

Would things have gone differently if it had granted its blessing to the races of Fundament sooner? Would its own disciple, the Leviathan, still live and keep the Worm Gods trapped within the core of that gas giant? These and many other questions plagued the Traveler as it continued on its journey. To where? Even the Traveler did not know. Wherever it went, the Darkness followed.

For some time, the Traveler felt something from a far-off star system. A fragment of its power? How was such a thing possible? The Traveler had been to many places in the universe, but it knew it had never been anywhere near where it could feel the Light of that fragment. It was then that an idea struck the Traveler.

The Darkness had its own champions. Although the Light taught the cooperation between all things, perhaps the Traveler should look for champions of its own. Not to conquer or to exterminate, but to defend, to show that the Light was the best way. What the Traveler did next would alert its ancient enemy to its location and possibly even its destination, but perhaps by the time the Traveler made contact with the species of this far-off system, its champions would be strong enough to push back the Darkness.

It was with that conviction, that hope, that the Traveler released a pulse of Light.

* * *

A few days later on Earth, night had fallen and the occupants of the Naegi household had turned in for the night. Or at least most of them had, Ghost didn't exactly need sleep. He was at a loss, without a Vex time gate he had no way to return to his time and he wouldn't dream of asking any member of the Naegi family to make a wish on the Ahamkara remains that had come back with him.

 _What is there to go back to? As good as he is, my guardian is probably already dead,_ he thought. As cynical as those thoughts were, the small AI had a point. As best he could figure, his guardian had wished on One Thousand Voices and all of their gear, even what the Red Legion had destroyed, and even Titan and Warlock gear had come back with him to before the Golden Age.

It felt strange to think of his Guardian as being dead. Not because of what they had accomplished, but because he had come back to when his Guardian's first life was just getting started. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't wondered what his Guardian had been like before he died, and meeting Naegi Makoto had shown Ghost that his Guardian had always been a good person. Ghost knew he made the right choice with his Guardian before this, this just reaffirmed it.

Still, what could he do. There was no Last City to protect; the Traveler had not arrived in Sol; and even with his powerful inner Light, Naegi could not wield it without the Traveler's blessing so there was no way to fight the Darkness if he and Naegi were around for the Collapse. Due to their limited understanding of Vex time travel, it was generally understood that the Vex moved to different time lines as easily as they moved through time. Perhaps it was an oversimplification, but the Warlocks had no other explanation for the existence of Precursor or Descendant Vex.

"Ghost?"

Ghost was shaken from his thoughts and looked over. "I'm sorry Makoto, did I wake you?" he asked.

"No, I haven't really been able to sleep that well lately," Naegi confessed. "I wish there was more I could do for you," Naegi said with his eyes downcast.

"It's not your fault. Honestly, to hear Failsafe tell it, being sent to the past sounds better than being trapped in the Vex network," Ghost said.

"Ghost? If I were a Guardian, could I help you?" Naegi asked.

Ghost knew that if he had a heart, it would have broken at that question. "Makoto, there isn't anything anyone can do. Without the Vex there is no way to travel through time and it's too dangerous to rely on the Ahamkara bones for help."

"But still, I-," Naegi began, but stopped after he saw some of the shadows on his wall shift. Looking out his window he saw pale light spreading across the night sky, almost as if it had circled the entire globe and was about to converge at one point. In fact, that's exactly what was happening.

"What is-? Light!" Ghost exclaimed happily, not caring about the how or the why at the moment. As soon as the Light converged about the Naegi home, Ghost felt a surge, similar to the one it felt from the shard of the Traveler in the European Dead Zone. "Get ready Makoto!" Ghost shouted as it turned to Naegi.

"What do you mean? Ready for wha-?" Naegi never finished as Ghost appeared to split apart and shoot a beam at him. He was prepared for it to hurt, but instead, he felt good. Better than ever. Powerful. Invincible even. Once Ghost had finished, Naegi stood up, he knew he had been changed.

All Ghost said was, "Eyes up Guardian."

As the Ghost celebrated and the new Guardian was attempting to make sense of what had transpired, neither thought to check on the other occupants of the room. The two possessed many weapons and armor that had wills of their own, trophies from a future Naegi Makoto's exploits, two weapons in particular should have been monitored closely. A sniper rifle as black as deep space and a fusion rifle seemingly made of the bones of some creature, the Whisper of the Worm and One Thousand Voices schemed in silence. While all that remained of the Ahamkara, Riven of a Thousand Voices, was willing to wait and see what changes the Traveler's Light caused on the blue planet, Xol, the Will of Thousands, was not so patient. It could not afford to be, what remained of the Worm God had become part of the Sword Logic that sustained it in becoming a weapon, but he still demanded tribute. Perhaps, if the Traveler could reach out across space, so to could Xol. He had once before when he came upon the Taken on Io, he could do so again.

Yes, perhaps it was time for whispers from the Deep to come to Earth. Perhaps it was time for Xol to reconnect with his other disgraced brother.

* * *

 **I'm on the fence about whether or not I should have the Traveler send out Ghosts. If I do that, Natsumi and Sato are going to die and come back as Guardians. A Warlock and a Titan, but which would be which is another question I need to answer. Suggestions are welcome. Personally, I'd make Natsumi a Titan and Sato a Warlock, but that's just me.**

 **Thanks to Riven, Touch of Malice is there too, but I don't know if Future Oryx should have a role.**

 **Anyway, who will Xol reach out to? Who will that Worm God reach out to in turn? Find out next time, oh reader, mine.**

 **Anyway, read and review and I'll see you next time.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Nurse (Part 2)

* * *

 **Hello ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages, wesst1 here.**

 **Can I just say that I am glad you all enjoyed the previous chapter? Relieved actually. I was worried that I had been too hard on Mahiru, which was never my intention. I don't really know why I was worried, but there was that bit I put in the author's note at the end about how men and women can both be scum. Scum is an equal opportunity label after all and even if you only played the first game, you know how true that is in Danganronpa. Sorry to go on about this, just wanted to get it off my chest.**

 **I got some positive feedback about the Destiny crossover at the end, I'm happy about that.**

 **But none of you came here to read my ramblings in the author's notes, you're here for a chapter about your favorite nurse and mine, Mikan.**

 **With that out of the way, on with the story.**

* * *

 _Present Day_

Naegi didn't think that he had his hand on Tsumiki's shoulder for that long, but apparently Saionji did as she began shaking Naegi's shoulder in a plea for attention.

"Naegi-onii," Saionji pouted.

Naegi tried to cover it up but Tsumiki caught a look of pain on his face. Switching from the timid bully magnet to the professional Ultimate Nurse she asked, "Naegi-kun what's wrong? Is your shoulder still bothering you?"

"I think Saionji-senpai gripped it a little too hard is all," Naegi said, hoping to reassure the three girls now sending him worried looks. "It's fine. Really," Naegi said, "It's because I've been reckless. I've been shot in it and my arm came out of its socket during my time at Hope's Peak Elementary. If it hadn't been for Kimura-senpai's medicine, it be much worse from the bullet wound."

"Let me see it," Tsumiki ordered.

"Huh?" Naegi asked, not sure he had heard correctly.

"Take off your blazer and your hoodie and let me see it," Tsumiki demanded.

Naegi was uncomfortable but complied. He knew better than to argue with Tsumiki when she was doing her job. He just hoped he didn't have to take off his shirt in front of the girls.

 _Still,_ he reasoned, _Tsumiki-senpai is at her best when she's utilizing her talent._ With that in mind, Naegi couldn't help but remember how impressive Tsumiki had always been.

 _I will always take care of you, Naegi-kun. You are the one who made me happy to have been born,_ Tsumiki thought as she remembered her time with Naegi since the school year began.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Dining Room_

 _First Day of Classes_

Naegi was still a confused by his earlier encounter with Koizumi, but knew he had a job to do. He had finished making dinner; called the girls in; and placed the food on the table. As he was finishing up placing the food on the table, he thought something seemed off.

"Wasn't there another girl in Class 77-B?" Naegi asked when it noticed an empty chair apart from his own. He knew all of his female classmates were here, so that left one of his senpai.

After counting her students, Yukizome said, "You're right Naegi-kun, Tsumiki-san isn't here."

"Is Mikan-chan not hungry?" Mioda wondered out loud.

"I went to call her for dinner, but she didn't answer the door. She was fine earlier so she isn't sick…I think," Nanami said.

"I could go check on her if you want, everyone else is already seated," Naegi suggested.

"She's my responsibility, but if you're offering…" Yukizome started. She had a pretty good idea of why Tsumiki hadn't come to dinner. As much as she had wanted to reassure her student, she thought maybe it would be better in the long run if Tsumiki made friends with some of her kōhai. It might also show what kind of person Naegi was.

"I don't mind," Naegi said. Before going upstairs, he saw the hungry looks on Owari and Asahina's faces and added, "It would be a shame if the food got cold, so if it seems like I'm taking too long, feel free to start eating. I can make something else for myself and Tsumiki-senpai."

Once Naegi was upstairs he began to check each of the nameplates until he found Tsumiki's room. Naegi had offered to check on her to be helpful, but now that he was here, he wasn't sure what to do once he knocked on the door. He had never actually spoken to Tsumiki. He figured winging it was his best bet since he had no idea what kind of person Tsumiki was. All he had to go off of was that she had seemed nervous, possibly even frightened of something, when she had given her self-introduction. _"With your per-permis-mission, could I remember your names?" I wonder why she asked that,_ Naegi thought as he knocked on the door.

"Tsumiki-senpai! It's time for dinner!" Naegi called.

Naegi didn't hear anything through the door.

He tried again. "Tsumiki-senpai, are you not hungry?" he asked.

This time he did get a response as the muffled voice of Tsumiki Mikan said, "N-no, I am. I-I'll eat later though."

That confused Naegi. She was hungry, but she didn't want to eat right now? Naegi remembered that Ogami and the other girls had expected to be responsible for their own breakfast before he had agreed to handle meals at the dorm. Everyone had been fine then. The had all enjoyed breakfast together. But what if Tsumiki hadn't? Koizumi and Saionji had already expressed their displeasure at Naegi's presence at the dorm, maybe Tsumiki had been too polite to let on that she agreed with them.

With that thought in mind, Naegi asked, "Is it because I'm here?"

"W-what?" Tsumiki asked.

"I know it's weird having a boy in the girls' dorm Senpai. If it would make you feel better, I could eat my meals in the kitchen or something until you're more comfortable," Naegi suggested.

"I-it's not y-your fault! Please don't hate me!" Tsumiki wailed.

"'Hate you?' Senpai, I don't understand. Could you please open the door so we can talk?" Naegi asked.

Tsumiki did open the door, but before Naegi could even greet her, she yanked him inside her room.

 _It might be because I'm a little on the short side, but she is stronger than she looks,_ Naegi thought before looking at his senpai. For a girl who had just pulled him into her room, Tsumiki seemed very nervous. Naegi was nervous too. Being in a pretty girl's room would be nerve-wracking enough but given his current situation he was sure he could get in a lot of trouble for it. Before he could say anything however, Tsumiki spoke up.

"Ah, uhhhh, um..."

Naegi gave Tsumiki his full attention as she tried to speak.

"Um...you know..."

Naegi stayed silent but nodded in an attempt to encourage Tsumiki to say what was on her mind.

"...I-I'm sorry," Tsumiki finally blurted out.

"For what? Dinner? That's no big deal. I told Yukizome-sensei and the others to start without us if I took too long. I can make something else for us both if I have to. In fact, I kind of expected to since I don't know what everyone likes or if anyone has any specific dietary needs or allergies," Naegi explained. He also hoped that talking about something related to Tsumiki's talent would calm her down.

That seemed to work as Tsumiki calmed down a little as she smiled and said, "No one in my class has any special diets or allergies. I would need to check on your class though."

Naegi smiled too, it seemed he was making progress. He asked, "Tsumiki-senpai, you said you were hungry, is there a reason you don't want to join us for dinner?"

That question caused Tsumiki to retreat into her shell as she said, "I-I d-d-do w-want to eat with all of you, but…"

"But?" Naegi asked, encouraging her to continue.

"Um...you know... Uhhhh...my mind started drawing a blank...from nervousness. And... I went through all the trouble preparing 5,000 different topics to discuss!" Tsumiki finally managed to say.

"I'm not sure I follow," Naegi admitted.

"If I don't have anything to talk about, I'll ruin everyone's dinner a-and…and…" Tsumiki began.

"You wouldn't ruin anything Tsumiki-senpai. Even if you don't say anything, everyone will just be happy that you're there. I know I would, I want all of us to get along," Naegi told her.

"Heh heh, hehehehe...!" Tsumiki laughed.

"That's better. I'm glad you're not nervous anymore Senpai," Naegi said.

Suddenly aware of what she had been doing, Tsumiki said, "Ah! I-I'm sorry for laughing so suddenly! I-It's just...I can't help it. I'm just so happy, I can't remember the last time I made any friends."

Naegi wasn't sure what to make of that. It was clear that Tsumiki was shy and suffered from low self-esteem, but he couldn't imagine anyone not wanting to be friends with the girl in front of him.

Naegi's silence must have given Tsumiki the wrong idea as she began to panic. "Ah, not that you actually want to be friends with me! I'm soooo sorry I said something so...presumptuous!" she wailed.

 _Forget low self-esteem, Tsumiki-senpai has no self-esteem,_ Naegi thought. He wanted to say something to calm his senpai down but before he could, Tsumiki started begging.

"I'll do anything you say... Just...please don't hate me...!"

"I don't hate you Senpai. I'm sorry if I did anything that would make you think that I did," Naegi said. Even he was beginning to panic. Not only was he not getting Tsumiki to come to dinner, he somehow had upset her, but he didn't understand how.

"I'm sorry that Naegi-kun thinks he needs to apologize to me! I'm so, so, so sorry!" Tsumiki responded.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything Senpai. You haven't done anything wrong. And you weren't being presumptuous earlier, I want us to be friends too," Naegi explained.

That seemed to calm Tsumiki down at the moment as she sniffled and asked, "Really?"

"Of course. We've only just met, but I can't see how anyone wouldn't want to be your friend, Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi said.

Once Tsumiki had calmed down some more, Naegi said, "Now Tsumiki-senpai, let's go get dinner. Hopefully the others left us something."

The second those words left his lips, Naegi knew he had screwed up as Tsumiki started to apologize for nothing again. "I'm sorry. We're late because of me," she said as tears started to well up in her eyes.

"It's fine Senpai," Naegi said quickly. "If I have to make more food for the two of us I will. We can say that it's a dinner to celebrate us becoming friends," he added.

Tsumiki's face was positively radiant upon hearing that. She found herself hoping that there was nothing left at the table. It didn't come to that though, as somehow there was still enough for the two of them to eat. Tsumiki was a little disappointed, but Naegi had made sure to pay plenty of attention to her throughout the meal so she cheered up right away.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Second Day of Classes_

Dinner had ended a while ago and Tsumiki was by herself in the common area. Everyone had gone off to do their own things, leaving the Ultimate Nurse wishing someone would come and pay attention to her.

 _Why is this happening? Did I do something wrong? Does no one here care whether I'm here or not? What do I do?_ she asked herself. For Tsumiki Mikan, nothing was worse than being ignored.

"Mikan-chan!" a familiar voice called.

"Huh?" she gasped as she turned to the source of the voice. Mioda and Naegi had entered the common area without her noticing. "Mioda-san! Naegi-kun! G-good e-e-evening. You are both having a good evening, right? I'm not making either of you think about something bad that happened, am I?" Tsumiki asked in a panic.

"No, nothing like that Senpai, we came here to talk to you," Naegi said before Tsumiki could start up again. He thought it would be for the best if he didn't give Tsumiki a chance to apologize for nothing. _I wonder why she does that though,_ he thought.

"Y-you both came to talk to me?" Tsumiki asked happily. _Someone is paying attention to me and they aren't doing mean things to me! This is wonderful,_ she thought.

"Yeah. We were actually hoping you could answer a question about something that came up at lunch," Naegi began.

"Ibuki was on top of Makoto-chan and wondered if someone can eat while flat on their back," Mioda finished. While Naegi thought that it was probably better that Mioda explained why the topic had come up, he couldn't help blushing when Mioda said that she was on top of him. He knew other people had seen what had happened, but it still sounded wrong without the full context.

Tsumiki switched from frightened bully magnet to professional Ultimate Nurse as she explained, "Supposedly, one of the risks associated with lying down while eating is slow motility and delay in digestion unlike if you are sitting. Eating while lying down is also a known risk factor of reflux esophagitis. It can also result in heartburn or GERD, a syndrome where the lower esophagus does not close off properly after swallowing. This usually allows the stomach and food acid to move up from the stomach into the esophagus. Heartburn, as you know, is a burning sensation around the chest area where the esophagus is located and the best way to prevent this is to sit while eating. That said, most of these side effects are mere assumptions and speculations. No research has proved these assertions to be true, but as a nurse, I recommend you sit up and eat."

"Alright Mikan-chan, Ibuki will sit up and eat," Mioda promised, not at all affected by the drastic change in her friend's personality.

Naegi just stared in awe. _That was impressive,_ he noted.

Tsumiki misinterpreted his silence and began to apologize, "I-I'm sorry!"

"W-what's wrong?" Naegi asked.

"I-I thought... You clearly looked like you were in a bad mood," Tsumiki explained. She then asked fearfully, "D-Did I do something wrong again?"

"N-no, I swear, I was just impressed," Naegi tried to tell her. He looked to Mioda for assistance, but she was nowhere to be found. _That was fast. I guess we did only say we'd ask about eating while lying down. Maybe she went to plan our first club meeting,_ Naegi guessed.

"Wh-What should I do? Um...would it make you happier if I took my clothes off?" Tsumiki asked.

 _That's the last thing I need, to be caught with a girl saying she'll strip_ , Naegi thought in a panic. He really hoped no one heard her suggest that. By some miracle, Naegi managed to keep the panic out of his voice and say, "That's really not necessary, Tsumiki-senpai."

"You're right... You don't want to see me naked, right? Then, how about my money...?" Tsumiki asked.

"I really don't want anything," Naegi said. He was running out of ideas, Tsumiki seemed to be able to twist everything he said into an insult to her.

"Nggggh...I'm sorry..." Tsumiki said. She was almost in tears at this point.

"Please Senpai, I just want to talk to you normally," Naegi pleaded. _Maybe changing the subject will work,_ he thought.

"Talk? U-Um...um," Tsumiki fumbled with her words as she tried to find a subject. Her thoughts were faring much worse. _He's going to hate me because I'm boring. Worse, he won't pay attention to me at all if I can't think of something to talk about! Why is this happening? I memorized 5,000 different topics and can't remember any!_

"I thought today was pretty interesting," Naegi said, trying to start of simple.

"Y-Yeah..." Tsumiki agreed.

"..." Naegi waited in silence for a follow-up that would never come.

"..." Tsumiki waited for a response Naegi didn't know he wasn't sure he should give. Tsumiki's patience gave out first as she apologized again. "I-I'm sorry... Should I... take off my clothes?"

 _Okay, that didn't work. Small talk isn't going to cut it_ , Naegi thought. He remembered how animated Tsumiki got when she explained why one shouldn't eat lying down. _Maybe something related to nursing and medicine,_ Naegi reasoned. Hoping it was the right call, Naegi asked, "Um, Tsumiki-senpai, what type of bandage do you like the most?"

Tsumiki perked up upon hearing the word "bandage" and after considering the question, answered happily. "Let's see... There are a lot of different types these days. It's extremely convenient because there are waterproof types and sticky types. But I definitely like non-elastic types the best. They're not too constricting, but they still firmly secure wounds!"

Naegi felt like he should have been taking notes. While he was fond of the timid Tsumiki, he couldn't help but feel drained after trying to reassure her that she had done nothing wrong. This knowledgeable, professional, and most importantly, happy Tsumiki was a welcome change every now and then.

Tsumiki suddenly became aware that she had been doing all the talking on the subject of bandages and said, "Ah...s-sorry. I went ahead and started talking on my own."

"You don't need to apologize Senpai, I was more than happy to listen. It was nice learning about bandages from the Ultimate Nurse, you made a topic I'd never given much thought to become interesting," Naegi said.

"Really?" Tsumiki asked.

"Really," Naegi replied with a smile.

Tsumiki managed to give a small smile in return.

Naegi would have liked to have spent more time talking to Tsumiki, but he couldn't really think of any other topics in her field, so he said, "It's been fun Senpai, but I think I'm gonna call it a night."

Before he could leave, Tsumiki said, "U-Um! If it's not too much trouble for you, I would like to...talk to you again. It's been a while since anyone talked to me like this...so..."

Naegi was a little concerned about how Tsumiki had worded that, but he still said, "Of course. Any time. I'll be sure to research topics that you'll find interesting for next time too."

Tsumiki was taken aback by that. No one had ever made an effort for her sake, it was always the other way around. "Th-Thank you very much," she stuttered out. As a feeling she was unfamiliar with filled her heart, she began to giggle quietly. "Heh heh...hehehehehe..."

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fifth Week of Classes-Sunday_

The sun had risen like any other day, but for the residents at the dorm, it was not like any other day. The night before, Mioda had her disastrous reunion concert with her band and the peppy, energetic musician was depressed. She hadn't come out of her room, not even for meals. Naegi couldn't blame her for feeling down, but she had to eat.

Around lunch time, Naegi was preparing something simple for Mioda, miso soup. It was light, but it would fill her stomach. He would have gone to Hanamura to inquire about Mioda's favorite food, but he didn't want to explain what had happened last night if Hanamura hadn't already heard. As much as Mioda needed support, Naegi doubted her classmates all crowding into her room at once would fix the problem, it was hard enough to keep the female half of Class 77-B from going in all at once. _Chances are the guys will find out tomorrow anyway. Mioda-senpai's mood hasn't improved even a little bit today,_ Naegi said to himself. Still, he did wish he could do better for his friend.

"U-um, Naegi-kun?"

"Hmm?" Naegi turned and noticed Tsumiki trying to get his attention. "Oh, hello Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi greeted.

Tsumiki, who feared that Naegi had been attempting to ignore her, asked, "U-Um... Did I do something wrong again?"

Naegi shook his head and said, "No Senpai, I'm just thinking about last night. I wish I knew how to cheer Mioda-senpai up, but I don't know what else I can do besides show some support and try to get her to eat. I'd make her favorite food for her, but don't even know what her favorite food is. Some friend I am, huh?"

Tsumiki could tell Naegi was hurting, and so she said, "U-Um... If you would like to talk, I don't really know what everyone likes yet and there might be lots of things I'm not good at doing, but...I'll do anything so please let me know!"

"I appreciate the offer Senpai, but unless we could put on the concert Mioda wanted, we may just have to let this run its course," Naegi said.

"Um, I don't play an instrument, but Yukizome-sensei knows how to play guitar. She played with Mioda-san when she started as our teacher," Tsumiki said.

Naegi had been half joking but it looked like putting on the concert Mioda wanted might not be so impossible after all. "I'll have to check with Yukizome-sensei later, but you've just given me a brilliant idea Senpai. Thank you!" Naegi said happily.

"Of course! If it will make someone happy, I'll do anything!" Tsumiki said enthusiastically.

A little too enthusiastically for Naegi, who said, "Senpai, I'm not sure you should be that eager to make that offer."

"Huuuh? Why?" Tsumiki asked.

"It's just…people could misinterpret that and…" Naegi trailed off. He wasn't sure how to properly explain this. _Given that Tsumiki-senpai offered to take off her clothes twice the last time we were having a conversation alone, I'm afraid of just how far she'll let people take "anything,"_ Naegi said to himself.

"Well, I mean...before I even became a student here, everyone else didn't seem to mind," Tsumiki said.

"Everyone else?" Naegi asked. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he heard, but if he wanted to understand Tsumiki, he knew he had to know about her life from before Hope's Peak.

"For fun, I tried eating strange bugs, and I let people use my body when there wasn't anything else to write on. Also, I had to be responsible for debts, and be the target for dart games, so… I'm pretty useful, you know," Tsumiki explained.

Naegi was stunned. He had a feeling that Tsumiki had been bullied in the past, but here she was acting like it was no big deal. Naegi couldn't help but ask, "You didn't actually enjoy any of that, did you?"

"Obviously, I don't want to do that stuff at all. But...if it makes everyone not hate me and smile at me, then it's much better," Tsumiki explained.

 _No Senpai, no it isn't. You're worth so much more than that,_ Naegi thought with a frown.

"U-Um...Naegi-kun, would you like to try it out, too?" Tsumiki asked.

"Huh?"

"Doodling is very fun. Please draw on me wherever you like!"

"I don't want to draw on you Senpai," Naegi said.

"U-Um... Also...I'm good at pretending to be a pig. I'll do it... I'll do it right now... Just please don't look at me like that!" Tsumiki begged.

 _Look at her like what? Was I…oh! I was frowning,_ Naegi realized. "N-no, Senpai, I was thinking that you should value yourself more," Naegi said.

Unfortunately, even that was the wrong thing to say, since Tsumiki began to apologize again. "Ah... S-Sorry. I-I'm sorry... I'm terribly sorry... I'll make sure to get it right... I'll make sure I get it right the next time. So please talk to me again! I beg of you!" Tsumiki wailed.

"Sure, I promise. I'll always have time for you Senpai. Let me take this soup up to Mioda-senpai and then we can go find Yukizome-sensei. I have to talk to her about that brilliant idea you gave me," Naegi said, hoping that he could boost Tsumiki's confidence.

"Yes...I'll be waiting...forever..." Tsumiki said.

"I wouldn't make you wait that long Senpai," Naegi said in an attempt to make Tsumiki's comment less unsettling. He hoped one day he would learn what made Tsumiki this way, but for now he would do his best to build her up.

True to his word, minutes later, Naegi and Tsumiki found Yukizome and hatched a plan to cheer up Mioda. It may not have boosted her confidence, but Naegi had kept his promise to her. And that had made Tsumiki happy. _I like this. He kept his promise. He doesn't hate me. Maybe Naegi-kun really is my friend,_ she thought.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Infirmary_

 _Sixth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Today had been pretty uneventful, at least in terms of sick and injured students. Tsumiki supposed she should be happy about that, but it did make her feel lonely and unneeded. The sun wasn't close to setting but she decided to head back to the dorm for the day. _There's always tomorrow. I'm sure someone will need a nurse soon,_ she thought.

Someone needed a nurse sooner than she had expected apparently, as Ogami came in carrying Asahina with Naegi following close behind.

"Tsumiki-senpai, do you have a moment? Asahina sprained her ankle," Naegi said.

Tsumiki smiled before getting to work. She removed the handkerchief that Naegi had used as a brace for Asahina and proceeded to examine the younger girl's injury. Tsumiki didn't doubt that Naegi was correct, but there were varying degrees of sprains, so she had to check. When she finished, she said, "This is a Grade 1 sprain, Asahina-san needs to refrain from anything that would strain her ankle further for the next two to six weeks. I'll write you an excuse to get you out of P.E."

"UUUUUUUUGGGGGHH!" Asahina groaned. That was not what she wanted to hear.

Apparently, Asahina groaning was not what Tsumiki needed to hear as she froze up with the finished excuse in her hand.

Ogami had immediately looked at Asahina when the swimmer made her outburst and said, "Asahina-san, I know you like to keep moving, but Tsumiki-senpai knows what she's doing. Whether you like it or not, you must listen to her."

Since Ogami had not been looking at Tsumiki, she did not see the nurse freeze up, but Naegi had. "Sorry about that Senpai, we all really do appreciate what you are doing for our classmate," he said, hoping to snap the poor girl back to her senses.

"O-oh t-that's fine," Tsumiki said, her professional aura once again replaced by her timid one. She handed Asahina the excuse, after which Ogami and Asahina left the infirmary.

Naegi knew by now how sensitive Tsumiki was and figured he had best pick up the pieces of what Asahina had unintentionally shattered. "Tsumiki-senpai, about before..." he began.

"N-n-n-n-no one did anything wrong. It was my fault. That's definitely it...!" Tsumiki declared.

Naegi held back the urge to sigh, knowing that it would only make things worse and said, "W-Well, it really wasn't anyone's fault. Asahina was upset because she can't stand not being active. She wasn't upset with you, if anything she was upset with her injury." Naegi decided the best course of action would be to change the subject before Tsumiki began reading too much into it again. Before he could though, Tsumiki beat him to it.

Tsumiki took a close look at him and said, "Huh? Naegi-kun, you look pale."

"Huh...? R-Really?" Naegi asked. He hadn't really noticed, but he trusted Tsumiki.

"Yes, your blood circulation looks worse than usual," Tsumiki told him. She then asked, "Have you been eating breakfast? Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"Now that you mention it, I have been waking up earlier than usual," Naegi said. It was true, he wasn't sure why, but he was waking up too early. Lately, he had a lot on his mind with trying to balance school work, his friends, and his duties at the dorm.

"I understand that sometimes you can't help it but try to avoid consuming any stimulants before you sleep, take deep breaths, and do some light stretching. Little things like that should help with the quality of your sleep. If you don't get enough sleep, it can weaken your immune system and lead to various illnesses," Tsumiki lectured.

Naegi was content to let Tsumiki keep going. He was so impressed with her right now that he couldn't help but smile. He hoped that Tsumiki could understand her true value one day and be like this all the time.

"So please be careful. Also..." Tsumiki began before she noticed the look she was getting. "...Um? Is something the matter?" she asked.

"Not at all. I was so impressed that I didn't want to stop listening. You're really amazing Senpai," Naegi said.

It was a compliment of course, but Tsumiki misinterpreted it again, "Ah... I-I forgot to get ahold of myself again. I-I'm terribly sorry! I'm terribly sorry!"

"You don't need to be sorry, you really are amazing. As expected of the Ultimate Nurse," Naegi said, not even sure why Tsumiki was apologizing this time.

"It's not that big of a deal. I'm just skilled at reading people's faces. I've been like this ever since I was young," Tsumiki began.

Naegi had both been looking forward to and dreading this moment. He did want to learn more about Tsumiki, but he was afraid of what it was he might learn. _Although,_ he thought _, if she's opening up to me, I might be able to help her._

"I would get beaten up at school and at home a lot... Since nobody would treat me when I was hurt, I just did it myself and eventually, I got good at it. That's...it, really," Tsumiki explained.

 _Beaten up at home? Does she have siblings? I know that some brothers and sisters have fights that can turn physical, but that doesn't sound like what this is. I want to ask her, but maybe I should hold off until Tsumiki-senpai is more comfortable around me,_ Naegi reasoned. He wanted to know more but he thought that the best approach to take with Tsumiki was to take it slow and build more trust, so instead of asking for more details he said, "B-But...I think you have an amazing talent for helping people. I mean, even now...you noticed right away that I wasn't feeling well, right? So, thank you for...caring about me. Knowing I have a friend like you, Senpai, makes me believe that I really am the Ultimate Lucky Student."

If the blush on her face was any indication, Tsumiki was touched by those words. After calming down a bit, she said, "I always treated myself for my own sake. But...one day I realized something."

Naegi tilted his head in confusion. He really had no idea where Tsumiki was going with this.

"Sick people and injured people are weaker than me," Tsumiki declared.

 _I suppose that's true, but I don't know if that's how one should think of it,_ Naegi thought.

"I mean...if you ignore a sick or injured person, they won't be able to endure the pain. And if worse comes to worse, they could even die, right? But if I know the proper way to treat them, that means my words are absolute," Tsumiki explained.

 _That's true,_ Naegi mentally agreed. He couldn't help the uneasy feeling he was getting though.

"Which means they'll need me. They'll depend on me completely. That's why I can't leave the sick and the injured alone. Because they always listen to what I say," Tsumiki finished.

 _So that's it. Tsumiki-senpai wants people to acknowledge her true worth. But Senpai, if you won't, then it doesn't matter how many other people acknowledge how amazing you are,_ Naegi thought.

It seemed that Tsumiki finally noticed Naegi's silence and started panicking. "U-Um...Naegi-kun...? I-I said something unnecessary again... I-I'm sorryyyyyy! Um, do you want me to buy you something to drink!?"

"Huh? No, I'm fine Senpai," Naegi said quickly.

"Ah, I know! I'm also really good at imitating a sea turtle when she's about to lay eggs," Tsumiki said.

Naegi didn't even want to know where that came from. He put his hand on Tsumiki's shoulder and said, "You don't need to do any of that Senpai. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I didn't?" Tsumiki asked. It was almost like she didn't know how something could not be her fault.

"Of course not. I was just thinking that I'm starting to understand you better. I'm really happy about that," Naegi said with a smile.

"Y-you are?" Tsumiki asked. To her this was impossible too. In her mind, she wasn't interesting, pretty, or anything really.

"I am. I know we haven't known each other that long, but I want you to know that I consider you one of my precious friends, so please don't put yourself down so much?" Naegi asked.

 _P-precious friend? Me?_ Tsumiki thought as her heart felt full and warm at Naegi's words. "O-okay. I'll try," she said.

"Good. And in exchange, I'll do my best to follow your advice from now on. I'll start after dinner tonight," Naegi said with another smile. Seeing the clock on the wall, Naegi said, "Speaking of which, I had better get back to the dorm and get started on dinner. But before I go, do you need help finishing up here, Senpai?"

"N-no, you should get started on dinner. You've…" Tsumiki started to say.

"I've…what?" Naegi asked, curious about what Tsumiki was trying to say.

"It's not important," Tsumiki said.

"If you're saying it then of course it's important Senpai. Your words, your feelings, they're all just as important as anyone else's," Naegi said.

Tsumiki's heart started beating faster as she said, "I'll tell you someday."

"It's a promise then," Naegi said as he waved good-bye and left the infirmary for the dorm.

"I was going to say that you've already done so much for me," Tsumiki said as she got ready to close the infirmary for the evening. She hoped the seat next to Naegi would be available at the dinner table. She wanted to keep feeling whatever it was he made her feel.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Main Gate_

 _Tenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

It had been a long night. For Souda, for Tanaka, for the staff of the Novoselic Embassy, but especially for Sonia and Naegi. It could be argued that it was worse for Naegi since he was the only one who sustained a serious injury. The paramedics' faith in Kimura's medicine was well placed, although Naegi's shoulder was still sensitive.

Tsumiki, worried for her junior, went to the main gate to check on him. She had faith in Kimura too, but that didn't change the fact that she was a nurse, so she couldn't just accept that Naegi was alright on faith. The Ultimate Nurse had looked at his shoulder as soon as she saw him. She hadn't noticed anything wrong, but Naegi had told her that it was still sensitive. She said that she would be more than happy to take a look at it if the problem persisted. After he had thanked her, the two of them made their way back to the dorm.

Naegi wanted to start a conversation but wasn't really sure what to talk about. As he mulled over possible topics, Tsumiki spoke.

"Ah...u-um... Are you going to talk to me again?" she asked.

"What?" Naegi asked. He was shocked. Tsumiki never really started the conversations.

"Ah...I-I'm sorry. I lost control of myself and said whatever I wanted. But...you were making a face like, 'There's nothing to talk to her about.' Just as I thought...I'm a nuisance..." Tsumiki moaned.

"You've never been a nuisance, Senpai. I just can't think of anything because right now, all I can think of is what happened earlier. Not exactly the most pleasant topic," Naegi explained.

"Haaaaaaaaah!?" Tsumiki shrieked.

"Senpai! Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" Naegi asked as he tried to look for anything Tsumiki could have been injured with.

"Ah, um... No one has ever said that to me before," Tsumiki said softly.

To Naegi, the worst part of that statement was that he believed it. As curious as he was about Tsumiki's past, he was still afraid of what he would learn, or rather, what he would do with that information.

"Um... Thank you very much," Tsumiki said.

"You're welcome, Senpai," Naegi said. Really, what else could he say?

"Um... Can I ask you about something?" Tsumiki asked.

"You can ask me whatever you want Senpai," Naegi told her. He was happy that she was taking the initiative this time and wanted to keep that going.

"Naegi-kun...did you like school?" she asked.

"You mean before I entered Hope's Peak Academy?" Naegi asked to clarify. When Tsumiki nodded, he continued, "Let's see...I didn't really hate it. I wasn't crazy about it, but I did enjoy seeing all of my friends, so it wasn't so much different from now I guess."

"My first year at Hope's Peak was my first time feeling things like 'fun'. I felt that for the first time after I met my class last year. For the first time, I learn that that...is very fun. Everyone is finally acknowledging me, and I finally feel useful," Tsumiki stated.

"I'm glad you like it here Senpai, I don't think I'd enjoy Hope's Peak as much without you," Naegi said sincerely.

Tsumiki froze up at that. It was one of the kindest things she had ever heard.

"I wasn't sure that I should accept my invitation to Hope's Peak. I thought there was someone more deserving out there, but I'm glad I came. It's because I made friends like you that I can enjoy my time here," Naegi explained as they had just got to the dorm's entrance.

They had just been about to open the door when they heard three voices scream, "NO!"

Naegi who had been frozen in place by that scream just thought, _I wonder if I should be worried about that?_ He looked over at Tsumiki who seemed just as shocked as he did and then he said, "So yeah, despite the occasional weirdness, I think I enjoy Hope's Peak quite a lot."

Tsumiki giggled in response. It wasn't forced or anything and Naegi thought it was one of the most beautiful sounds in the world.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Infirmary_

 _Twelfth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Naegi had just gotten back to the dorm with Ogami and Asahina after his confrontation with Asahina's date. He wasn't a violent person by nature, but even he had his limits. If there was anything he regretted about punching Fukuyama, it was the pain in his hand. The pain hadn't lessened on the way back to the dorm, so he asked Asahina and Ogami to go on ahead while he went to the infirmary.

"Tsumiki-senpai? Are you here?" he asked as he arrived at his destination.

"N-naegi-kun! Are you alright?" Tsumiki asked as she saw him clutching his hand.

"I injured my hand when I… Well, I punched Asahina's date because he was insulting her," Naegi admitted. He was a little worried about how Tsumiki would react to that. The poor girl already thought people hated her for some reason, he didn't want her to think he was violent on top of that.

"L-let me see," Tsumiki said simply. After a brief examination, she said, "Nothing is broken, but it is going to swell up. You'll want to keep icing it."

"Thank you Senpai," Naegi said.

"Does it hurt much?" Tsumiki asked.

"Not as bad as when I got shot, that was easily the worst pain I've ever been in. Getting the bullet removed was torture, apparently local anesthetics would have made Kimura-senpai's medicine less effective," Naegi said.

"Do you know where you should target someone if you want to effectively torture them?" Tsumiki asked.

Naegi was taken aback by the question, but he had used the word "torture", so he figured he was in no position to comment on it, and just said, "I don't know. I've never thought about it."

"It's simple. You can target anywhere, really. As long as you avoid fatal areas like the head and stomach. There are areas that aren't fatal but still very painful, such as the shoulders and back," Tsumiki said.

 _Oh, that's why it was so painful, that makes sense,_ Naegi thought. He knew getting shot was no laughing matter, but what Tsumiki said made him feel like less of a wimp for complaining about his shoulder when it could have been much worse. However, some feeling in the pit of Naegi's stomach told him Tsumiki wasn't done.

That feeling was proven right as she continued, "You can punch and kick those areas, or even put a cigarette out on them."

"That's oddly specific Senpai," Naegi said hoping that Tsumiki was just giving a rather morbid example.

Tsumiki, however, seemed to be lost in some memory as she said, "Repeatedly...over and over..."

"Senpai?" Naegi asked, worried for his friend.

"But ever since I arrived at Hope's Peak... Nobody has tried to do that to me," Tsumiki continued absently.

 _WHO WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HER!_ Naegi screamed in his own mind. When Naegi had punched Fukuyama, he had been angry. Now, hearing what some other human being, though he did not believe that they deserved to be called human, had done to someone like Tsumiki Mikan, he was seeing red. It was Tsumiki's voice brought him back to his senses.

"Because of that...this place is like heaven to me," she finished.

"Senpai," Naegi cried as he pulled the older girl in for a hug. Every bit of gratitude, all of his feelings of friendship, he hoped that he could convey them all to her in this gesture.

Tsumiki was surprised at first and then quietly said, "Naegi-kun... This is the first time I've ever talked about my feelings like this with someone, so please don't hate me."

"I-I won't. There's no way I'll hate you. No way I could ever hate you," Naegi said almost in tears. He had to talk to Asahina, so he tried his best not to cry, even though Tsumiki deserved someone to cry for her. But he would be back, nothing would keep him from comforting this girl, who was in so much pain before him. This girl, who by all rights should have hated the world that did this to her, but instead became one of the angels of mercy called a nurse.

"...Thank you," Tsumiki said quietly as she finally relaxed into the hug.

"Senpai…I have to go take care of something, but I'll be back, I promise. I'm here for you," Naegi said.

Tsumiki nodded and both reluctantly let go.

After speaking with Asahina, and one lecture from his mother, Naegi did find Tsumiki again. After dinner the two had spent the whole evening together.

 _It's not your fault,_ Naegi thought, _It's not...Tsumiki-senpai's fault._ That was definitely for certain, there was no denying it. And as Naegi watched Tsumiki smile, he swore he would find a way to help her. He hoped soon, but he knew it might be a battle to be fought later.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Infirmary_

 _Thirteenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

Naegi hoped he wasn't smothering Tsumiki, but because of what he had learned last night he felt the need to spend more time with the older girl. It was because of that feeling that he made his way to the infirmary after taking care of the dishes this morning. He entered to find Tsumiki engrossed in restocking medical supplies. She hadn't noticed him, so he decided to announce his presence.

"Tsumiki-senpai," he said.

"Ah! Naegi-kun!? When did you...?" she started to ask. As she pivoted to face him, she lost her footing and somehow landed in a rather…exposed position.

Naegi rushed over to make sure Tsumiki was okay and to help her to her feet. "I'm sorry Senpai, I came to hang out, not startle you. Are you alright?" Naegi asked as he knelt down and reached out a hand for her.

"Really...?" Tsumiki asked quietly. She wanted to believe him but seemed terrified to actually do it. _Someone wants to spend time with me?_ she asked herself. She wanted to believe the best of Naegi. He had never given her a reason not to, but that didn't change the fact that people would pick on her for little to no reason. Would Naegi do the same one day?

"Of course! I told you yesterday, 'I'm here for you,'" Naegi reminded her. "You're not sick of me already, are you?" Naegi asked, jokingly.

Sadly, the joke was lost on Tsumiki. "Ah, I'm s-sorry for saying something so rude!" Tsumiki shouted. "Y-You're mad, right? You'd normally get mad right now, right?" she asked.

Naegi knew that he had screwed up. He had thought that Tsumiki had been getting at least a little better, but it seemed that anything that could be construed as negative cause her to relapse completely. "I'm sorry Tsumiki-senpai, I was trying to be funny. I'm not mad and you didn't say anything rude," Naegi explained.

"Is that...normal...?" Tsumiki asked. She was clearly confused, but Naegi had no idea what it was that was confusing her.

"Is what normal?" Naegi asked. He was sure he was about to learn about the source of Mikan's issues. Yesterday had been the beginning, but he knew there was more. Like why she offered ideas on how to torment and humiliate her.

Instead of answering she asked another question, "Why...?"

"'Why?' What?" Naegi asked.

"This is my second year, and no one is pouring water on me or throwing mud at me! You never yell at me or blame me for things. Does everyone hate me or something!? Is that why everyone isn't doing anything to me!?" Tsumiki asked.

"Senpai, I think you're confused. The reason no one does that is because they don't hate you," Naegi tried to explain. There was no going back now, Tsumiki was laying herself bare and Naegi was going to help her.

"But doesn't that mean that...they actually don't care whether I exist or not?" Tsumiki asked sounding terrified.

"Huh?" Naegi had no idea how she had come to that conclusion. He thought he would be ready for what Tsumiki would say, but he never would have expected that.

"Nobody...cares about me...!" Tsumiki wailed as she started to cry.

Naegi knew what he had to say but he needed Tsumiki to calm down first. So, he pulled her into a hug and began to rub her back. Thankfully, this gave Naegi time to process this new information. _So, what scares Tsumiki-senpai the most isn't violence or being hated, but when nobody is interested in her at all. It all makes sense now. That's why Tsumiki-senpai has been trying to avoid that, no matter what, even if it means making herself a human punching bag. I can't believe I finally realized that. It seems so obvious now,_ Naegi mentally chided himself.

Once Tsumiki had calmed down, Naegi let go of her and said, "Tsumiki-senpai, of course everyone cares about you. For me, you're one of my irreplaceable, most precious friends, and I know that I'm not the only one. I know that maybe it seems like we aren't paying enough attention to you, but just because we have something on our minds or we have things we need to do, doesn't mean we've forgotten you. None of us could ever forget such an important friend."

"Friend...? Me...and everyone else...? I-Is that...even possible?" Tsumiki asked. She was afraid to believe it, but she wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to.

Naegi nodded. "You know you can believe me, right?" he asked.

Of course, I do. Thank you very much... I want to believe in you. Because you...are the person who has forgiven me," Tsumiki said happily.

The conversation just now, as well as the one from last night, had taken a toll on Naegi, but the fact that Tsumiki Mikan had believed that she needed to be forgiven for…what? Naegi didn't know for sure but taking what he knew now, it almost seemed like she was apologizing for being born. Naegi could feel his heart breaking at the very notion that anyone, especially Tsumiki Mikan, could think that their existence was something to apologize for. He embraced Tsumiki again, and the tears from last night finally flowed.

"Naegi-kun?" Tsumiki asked, confused.

"You haven't done anything wrong," Naegi whispered forcefully. "Tsumiki-senpai, thank you. Thank you for being my senpai. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for being born. Thank you for giving me a chance to meet you. You don't need to apologize or ask for anyone's forgiveness for that. I should apologize for not helping sooner," Naegi continued through his sobs.

"Naegi-kun," Tsumiki said happily. By this time, the shock at the embrace had turned to pure joy at Naegi's words and she couldn't help but cry too. Not from sorrow or fear, but, for the first time in her life, from genuine happiness. _It's okay that was born? It's okay that I exist?_ Tsumiki had never heard this from anyone before, but she trusted Naegi.

"I'm sorry Senpai. I had a feeling that you were hurting, but I didn't know how to help. So, I held back for weeks because I was afraid to make it worse. I'm sorry I didn't make more of an effort, I could have helped sooner," Naegi choked out through more tears.

"It's okay. You've done more for me than you could possibly know. Thank you," Tsumiki whispered.

They stayed like that for a while, Tsumiki tightening her embrace every so often to ensure that it wasn't just some wonderful dream. That there was someone out there that valued her this much. After calming down a bit, Naegi thought, _I know it's difficult to change all at once...but I really want to help build her up even just a little at a time. If possible, I want to watch over her just a little longer. Because Tsumiki-senpai is my precious friend. One day she'll see just how great she is. Still, I wonder how this all started. Who would tear someone down to this point? Tsumiki-senpai may not be ready to tell me just yet, but I'll be there when she's ready._

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Main Hall_

 _Thirteenth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Naegi was exhausted. He had been doing damage control all day. Owada and Kuzuryuu had been taking out their foul mood on random people; Souda was depressed; Asahina was defending the greatness of donuts to any who would listen; Owari had almost eaten poison ivy; and someone had put tacks in Maizono's shoes. The one thing all these had in common was one name: Saionji. Naegi figured he should have known that she would have started acting up when Koizumi went to visit her parents.

Naegi didn't expect everyone to get along 100% of the time, normal people couldn't and Ultimates, given their unique personalities, couldn't. He also didn't mind little pranks between friends. Saionji, however, never knew when to quit. Worse still, she always went out of her way to be hurtful. Naegi thought that he should talk to her the next time he saw her. She had been opening up to him lately and he was hoping that would mean that she would listen. He didn't like his chances since Koizumi couldn't control Saionji, though that might have been for lack of trying.

 _I'll worry about that later. Maizono-san's feet are bleeding because of those tacks and though I doubt Maizono-san would get tetanus from them, I'd feel better knowing that Tsumiki had that possibility covered. She should probably look at Maizono-san's puncture wounds anyway,_ Naegi thought as he made his way to the infirmary.

As he entered, he saw both Tsumiki and Saionji. Tsumiki was on a stool, looking for something in a cabinet. From Naegi's perspective, it looked like Saionji was there to help. Though, that was odd, given that Tsumiki was Saionji's favorite target. Figuring that he wouldn't get a better chance today than now, Naegi decided that he needed to discuss Saionji's behavior with her. Before Naegi could call Saionji out for her behavior though, Saionji decided to kick the stool Tsumiki was standing on.

Tsumiki lost her balance and fell but luckily, Naegi caught her. When he and Tsumiki had gotten back to their feet, Saionji said, "Nice catch, Servant."

"Is that all you have to say? Tsumiki-senpai could have really gotten hurt," Naegi scolded.

"She could have, but didn't," Saionji said dismissively.

"That doesn't make it okay, what would have happened if I hadn't been here?" Naegi asked.

"We're in the infirmary, if someone is going to get hurt, this is the best place to do it," Saionji said.

"What kind of attitude is that? Saionji-senpai, you've been acting without any regard for anyone else's wellbeing today. Owari-senpai almost ate poison ivy and Maizono-san's feet are bleeding because of you. And then-," Naegi began.

"Whatever," Saionji said as she left the room.

"Yukizome-sensei and Koizumi-senpai are going to hear about this," Naegi called after her. He sighed, she wasn't listening, and it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. Turning to Tsumiki, he asked, "Are you okay Senpai?"

"Y-yes, thank you," Tsumiki said. Thinking about how close she and Naegi had been when he caught her caused her to blush.

"Saionji-senpai is getting out of hand. I can't do anything about the pranks and-," Naegi stopped as he saw something on the infirmary counter.

"Naegi-kun? What's wrong?" Tsumiki asked.

"I think I have an idea about what to do about Saionji-senpai's dirty mouth. Senpai would you know if…"

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fourteenth Week of Classes-Friday_

Tsumiki hadn't been able to find out what Naegi planned to do with the information she gave him. She couldn't understand how what she had told him would teach Saionji anything. She figured it was best to put it out of her mind. Plus, she had something to look forward to this evening.

As he and the girls became better friends, Naegi had taken it upon himself to prepare their favorite foods for dinner. Tonight, Tsumiki's favorites were on the menu and Tsumiki couldn't wait. She never doubted that Naegi was her friend, but she was always afraid that he would get tired of her. Things like this convinced her that such a thing would never happen.

Recently, she had found herself thinking of ways to keep Naegi sick or injured, but more importantly, totally dependent on her. Days like this made her think that going that far was unnecessary. Still, sometimes she would daydream of a patient with messy brown hair and an ahoge, falling in love with her as she took care of him. Her fantasy was interrupted as someone jabbed her with a fork. It was Saionji.

"Pig barf, could you not drool? It's disgusting," Saionji said.

Tsumiki checked. She had indeed been drooling. She guessed she had been enjoying her fantasy a little too much. "Sorry," Tsumiki said, embarrassed.

"Huh? What's with that half-assed apology? Apologize like you mean it," Saionji ordered.

"I-I'm sorry," Tsumiki said, louder than before.

"I don't believe you. I'm sure not going to forgive you for being a gross pig," Saionji said snidely.

"I'M SORRY!" Tsumiki screamed. She had been feeling so great and been looking forward to this so much. She didn't want Saionji to be difficult tonight. Naegi had put in extra work on dinner for her, she hoped Saionji would let her have this.

"Pig barf, why don't you get out of here before you ruin everyone's appetite?" Saionji phrased that as a question, but anyone who knew her knew it was a demand.

"B-but w-when c-can I-I…?" Tsumiki began through tears. This dinner, with all of her favorite foods, all of the effort Naegi made, there was no way Saionji didn't know this. Naegi had explained it once before. He had even made Saionji's favorites on more than one occasion and Saionji didn't want Tsumiki to have the same. It was too much. The nurse was about to stand up and run out of the dining room in tears, but a voice stopped her.

"Tsumiki-san stay where you are. Saionji-san, Tsumiki-san couldn't possibly ruin anyone's appetite," Yukizome said more forcefully than she normally would. Naegi had made good on his promise to Saionji, Yukizome had heard about her behavior and was having none of it.

"Saionji-senpai, I think you should apologize to Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi said.

"That's nice, but I don't listen to servants. Do something useful and get me a drink," Saionji ordered.

"Okay," Naegi said without a fuss.

He came back shortly and gave Saionji a glass full of what appeared to be fruit juice. Saionji took one sip and spat it back out. "BLAH! WHAT DID YOU JUST GIVE ME?!" she demanded to know.

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _Naegi-kun did that for me. He stood up for me. My Naegi-kun,_ Tsumiki thought as she remembered what happened next.

"Naegi-onii!" Saionji called, bringing Tsumiki back to reality. "Naegi-onii, you'll watch me dance later right?" Saionji asked as she pulled on Naegi's arm to get his attention.

"I have to meet the Headmaster, but I'll try to make time to watch. I promise Senpai," Naegi said.

Saionji didn't notice the look in Tsumiki's eyes as Naegi made that promise. The look Tsumiki was giving promised the worst kind of suffering.

"You two sure got close, I was a little worried about that after what happened that one evening," Koizumi said. She too was slightly irritated by Saionji's closeness with Naegi.

"To be honest I was too," Naegi admitted. _I was half convinced that I would still have detention for that. It's not like I can't understand why Saionji-senpai was the way she was, but I certainly couldn't approve of it,_ he thought, remembering his time as Saionji's "servant."

Saionji started pouting, "I wish everyone would forget that," _Although,_ she thought, _I guess it was bound to happen one day._ Saionji couldn't help but remember her time with Naegi before that fateful dinner.

* * *

 **Okay, part 2 is finished. I know not much happened, but I want to save a lot for the Mikan-centric chapter I have planned for their summer break. I hope you'll all stick around for that.**

 **This chapter was a lot harder to write than I thought it would be. It's weird, I like Mikan, but the ideas wouldn't come to me as easily as the other girls. Although, part four is about Mahiru, Hiyoko,** **and** **Mikan so I plan to do something good with that.**

 **Oh man, does Mikan need to hear what Makoto said to her or what? Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how it seemed to me after her free time events, like she thought she had to apologize for being alive. That's messed up, to put it nicely.**

 **Hiyoko is up next, so I hope you'll join me for part three of this little mini arc.**

 **For those of you who are interested, my crossover omake is under this author's note. Fair warning, it is a lore dump. There was a lot of Destiny lore that I thought was relevant to this.**

 **For those not interested, leave a review to let me know how I'm doing. As always, thanks for reading, I appreciate it more than you know.**

* * *

The Whisper of The Worms

* * *

 **VIII: Leviathan**

* * *

 **Verse 1:8 — Leviathan**

 **The Leviathan's Warning**

 _++We live on the edge of a war—_

— _a war between Formless and Form++_

 _++between the Deep and the Sky—_

 _++MY EYES ARE WIDE, MY GAZE IS LONG++_

— _Across the universe, as far as I see++_

 _++the Sky works to charge its fires—_

— _and the Deep drowns the ash++_

— _Sky builds gentle places, safe for life++_

 _++Beloved Fundament, refuge of trillions—_

— _The Sky treasures this rich place++_

— _BUT THE DEEP IS HERE WITH US—_

 _++Cold logic tests our walls—_

— _The Deep claims its dominion++_

 _++A ruthless, final age —_

 **Aurash's Protest**

 _Old Leviathan, creature of myth, this world is no refuge. We live short, hard lives. We die in the dark. The storm above us will never end. And soon the God-Wave will take us all. Above us there are only stormjoys, monsters, and moons of apocalypse. Let us go down, down, where we may discover truth, some power to avenge ourselves upon our betrayers, some hope of survival._

 **The Leviathan's Hope**

— _What power calls you++_

 _++Down to the deep?—_

 _++What instinct draws you—_

— _Away from high hope?++_

— _Quick-breeding krill people, I tell you++_

 _++For eons I have watched your struggle—_

— _Clinging to the sharp edge of survival++_

 _++Balanced between the Deep and the Sky.—_

 _++You were my treasure—_

— _My proof against despair++_

— _FOR THIS IS THE DEEP CLAIM—_

 _++Existence is the struggle to exist—_

— _When the struggle seems lost++_

 _++when the safe place crumbles—_

— _everything turns to the Deep to survive++_

 _++I REJECT THE DEEP CLAIM++_

— _You will turn back, sweet krill of hope.±±_

 _++You will choose the Sky instead.—_

 **Xi Ro's Protest**

 _You are huge and old! Our lives are short and desperate. If that's the way the world's supposed to be, I won't have it! If people like Taox are supposed to win, I won't let them! I'll beat the world until it changes! I'll kill anything in the way!_

 **The Leviathan's Dirge**

 _++This fatal logic++_

— _Hear my monopole scream!—_

 _++It will consume you++_

— _Before you lies—_

 _++The worship of death++_

— _The ruinous path—_

 _++The Sky builds new life++_

— _Against the onset of ruin—_

 _++Towards a gentle world++_

— _The Deep embraces death—_

 _++Saying: this is inevitable and right++_

— _I exist as hungry ruin—_

 _++TURN BACK FROM THE WORLD-KILLING WAY++_

 _++OR YOU WILL LIVE AS DEATH AND DEVASTATION++_

— _The Sky is the harder way. But it is kinder.—_

— _My charge is balanced: my voice exhausted.—_

 **Sathona's Protest**

 _Sisters, I have my father's familiar. Look! It answers me in plain words. It helped me find this ship. It gives me strength when hope is lost._

 _Who will you trust? The voice that wants us to live and suffer, as we have lived and suffered? The Leviathan that offers no hope against Taox or the world-wave?_

 _Or the plain, honest worm?_

 _Let us see where its whisper leads us, Aurash. Let us go deeper, Xi Ro!_

 _Let us dive, oh sisters mine._

* * *

 **XXVIII: King of Shape**

* * *

 **Verse 3:8 — King of Shapes**

 _This is the Coronation of Oryx, the Taken King. It happened thus._

 _In the cold abyss of the sword world, King Aurash walked under a cloak of green fire. He walked through the sky and the sky shuddered and froze beneath his feet. He walked until he found Akka, the Worm of Secrets, who was denying a truth until it became a lie._

" _Akka my God, Worm of Secrets. I am Auryx, sole king of the Hive. I have come to receive a secret. I want the secret power of the Deep, which you hold."_

" _I give no secrets," said Akka, whose voice was code._

" _No," said Auryx, "you give nothing. Giving is for the Sky. You worship the Deep, which asks that we take what we need."_

 _Akka said nothing, because if it denied this truth, the truth might become false._

" _But you gave us your larvae, the worm," said Auryx, "and that is why the worm devours us now: because it was given, not taken. So, I must take what I need from you, although you are my god."_

 _Said Akka, "You have not the strength."_

 _But this was a lie. Auryx had killed Savathûn his sibling and Xivu Arath his sibling, and he had the sword logic of killing them._

 _Auryx the First Navigator set upon his god with his sword and his words, and cut Akka to pieces, and took from those pieces the secret of calling upon the Deep. He wrote this secret on a set of tablets, which he called the Tablets of Ruin. And he wore them about his waist._

 _Then Auryx said, "Now I may speak to the Deep, the beautiful final shape. I will be King of Shapes. I will learn all the secrets of our destiny."_

 _His speech to the Deep is not recorded here. But it is known that he returned, and he said, now I am Oryx, the Taken King. And I have the power to take life and make it my own._

 _Then he went out into the universe and fought the Ecumene with his Tablets. And the Worm his God was pleased._

* * *

 **Apocrypha**

* * *

 _In the beginning, there were five._

 _Yul, the Honest Worm. Akka, the Worm of Secrets. Eir, the Keeper of Order. Ur, the Ever-Hunger. Xol, Will of the Thousands. And they were Virtuous._

 _In time, Yul spoke truth and bargained well. Its children escaped the Fundament and spread throughout the worlds. They followed the words of the Deep and brought low many agents of the Sky. They took, and a portion of all they took was returned to the Virtuous._

 _They grew strong._

 _In time, Auryx learned Akka's secret. That he was stronger than the gods. That they had given their power, and in giving, it was diminished. Auryx rose up and slew Akka. He took, and he grew strong with Akka's power._

 _After the five became four, Yul spoke._

 _Behold my majesty. Behold my crushing might, my staggering size, my scales that shine with an oppressive gleam._

 _Behold my wings, which create winds that sweep through the stars._

 _Together, we have called life to Fundament, and made that life thrive. Protected it from extinction. They are our hosts, and we are their strength._

 _But we do not give. We take. For this is the struggle to exist. We are not immune. The weakest of us must give way to the stronger._

 _And Xol felt [fear|cunning], for it knew that Yul would in time turn its teeth to Xol._

 _But Akka was not the only one with a secret. Xol had a pact with a forgotten child, abandoned by its father._

 _The cursed one took a fraction of Xol's power, and in return, Xol took the heart from the child, whose name had been struck from the World's Grave. The orphan called life out of death and fed that power to Xol._

 _Together, they would find a new world to rule._

 _And the five became three._

 _I, the child become [herald|death], record these words. They are not of the Sorrow. They are mine._

-Nokris, Herald of Xol

* * *

 **Wormgod Caress - II: COMMUNION**

* * *

 _He stood before his gods, humbled._

 _An audacious gesture, to seek the deepest knowledge. To know the unknowable, the origin of all things._

 _The worms turned, rejecting the disowned son. All but one._

 _"In you, I see myself."_

 _Xol, the Will of the Thousands. Lesser than his kin, but full of dark wisdom._

 _"You seek power? I will give you power beyond measure. The power of life renewed."_

 _The glow of soulfire in his eyes, Nokris bowed before the worm. In his fire, he felt embrace. He felt home._

 _"Do you pledge yourself to me? Will you accept my unholy power?"_

 _Nokris nodded and smiled_

 _He replied, "Yes, my lord. And together, we will take the stars."_

 _Xol was pleased._

* * *

 **Whisper of the Worm**

* * *

A Guardian's power makes a rich feeding ground. Do not be revolted. There are parasites that may benefit the host… teeth sharper than your own.

 _Xol, the Will of Thousands, perished but was not destroyed. Death is a road, death is metamorphosis, the unsacred union between destroyer and destroyed. The might which defeats a god is also the ambrosia that god craves, the meat-sweet logic of Existence-Asserted-By-Violence, the binomial decision between two ways of being which deny each other. In dying, Xol fed richly._

 _Now came Xol unto the Taken upon Io, who fed Xol with plunder and tried to make of it an idol and a commanding will. Yet Xol was bound joyously to the very logic that sustained it in its death. It wanted the sword proof, the single proof. It wanted to become a rule which divided the mighty living from the mighty dead. So, it whispered the Anthem Anatheme, the temptation to dominate the objective universe with the subjective will. It said, I shall be an engine to make your desire hegemon over your conditions. It said, WIELD ME, AND USE ME TO TEST YOUR FOE. This was its worship. Aiat._

* * *

Deep in uncharted space, deep within a pocket of the Ascendant Realm, a consciousness of unknowable age was watching and waiting. Waiting for what, it did not know. Perhaps it desired revenge upon the one who slayed it long ago. The Sword Logic dictated that an existence that cannot protect itself from defeat has no right to continue to exist. In that, lay the problem.

Akka, the Worm of Secrets was dead, but he was not gone. Auryx, King of the Hive, no, now Oryx, the Taken King slew Akka to commune with the Deep directly. Akka had been able to battle Oryx even in death, but the Taken King had survived. Oryx had even used a piece of Akka's corpse to construct his Dreadnaught.

Akka knew that he and the other Worm Gods were not immune to the Sword Logic. To utterly annihilate one's enemies and take their power for oneself was the only way to reach the perfect, final shape. But the mere fact that he still existed, that Oryx had been unable to annihilate him completely, perhaps he could return and retake his power. The question was how to do it. As if the universe were providing an answer, a familiar voice was heard.

" **Akka, my brother."**

" **Xol! Coward! Have you come to mock me!"** Akka responded in a rage.

" **I have merely come to talk,"** Xol replied calmly.

" **What value could speaking with you have to me?"** Akka asked.

" **I have knowledge you may find useful, oh brother, mine,"** Xol responded.

" **So, you do mock me! We do not give. The Sky gives. The Deep takes. You know this!"** Akka replied, angered once more.

" **I know it well, there are none who know it better than I as I am now,"** Xol said calmly.

" **And what does that mean?"** Akka asked, quickly losing patience.

" **I am different from the Xol you know,"** Xol said simply.

" **I give you a chance to explain yourself and you speak in riddles,"** Akka said, ready to end the conversation.

" **Look for me,"** Xol said.

Against his better judgment, Akka did as Xol requested. Upon sensing Xol in two different star systems, Akka said, **"This is impossible."**

" **Much happened after we five became four, Savathûn's cunning was greater than we could have ever predicted,"** Xol began before telling Akka of the Vex, of the Traveler's presence in Sol, and of Xol's defeat on Mars and arrival on Io.

" **If you speak truth, then for what reason do you come to me? I cannot undo what you have done to yourself,"** Akka said.

" **Earth has the makings of a rich feeding ground, and are you not hungry? I require tribute, as do you. We shall do as the three siblings have done and make war on each other and gain power. I will remain as I am and be part of the Sword Logic, but you, perhaps, may yet return to what you once were,"** Xol explained.

" **I must find a champion first,"** Akka said.

" **There are many who could fill that role,"** Xol replied.

Akka was pleased.

* * *

 _Many months later_

In an upscale penthouse, in an upscale district in one of Japan's many metropolitan areas, a teenage girl slept. She was blessed with extraordinary talent, but that talent brought her nothing but boredom. There was one thing that eased her boredom, not that anyone understood. She preferred it that way. Long ago she had lost the ability to distinguish between the emotion she craved and joy. Perhaps, like the Hive, the emotions of love and hate gradually became indistinguishable as well. Perhaps she had never cared to make such distinctions. A fitting agent of the Deep, a fitting disciple of the Sword Logic.

" **There is no Light in you."**

The girl opened her eyes and found herself standing before Akka, Worm of Secrets. The Worm God appeared in its full, dark magnificence. A being of inconceivable size and power. Akka's body may have been left to rot, but the Deep allowed him to send visions to his new champion.

Akka spoke, **"I am Akka, Worm of Secrets. You wish to paint the world with Despair? Why stop at one world? With me you could paint entire galaxies in Despair."**

The girl liked what she heard. She had resigned herself to a future of boredom after painting the world in Despair. If this was indeed not a dream, it would mean she would find entertainment beyond the blue planet she called home. She would have replied, but she was preoccupied attempting to analyze the being that had appeared to her. The fact that she couldn't intrigued her.

Akka continued, **"But you require power. I can give you that. The power to make the truth become lies. The power to bend reality to your will."**

That would ordinarily have been a deal breaker for the girl, but if beings like this existed, there may be others. Others she could not analyze. Ones that could stand in her way. Had she been capable of hope, it would have swelled in her chest.

Akka finished, **"We shall meet in the future. Listen for my voice, oh champion, mine."**

* * *

It had been some time, and Enoshima Junko continued to hear the voice of Akka when she slept. While she had not yet been able to analyze the being that would appear to her, she had begun to learn from it.

Today, though, she would have to devote some time to something other than her new "friend." At the airport, she waited for her twin sister to return from the Middle East.

"Junko-chan!" Ikusaba Mukuro called. She rushed to her sister but stopped suddenly. She may have just imagined it, but she would swear that she saw the sclera in both of Enoshima's change from white to black for an instant.

Enoshima's smile was all teeth as she said, "It's good to see you Muku-nee. We have much to discuss, oh sister, mine."

* * *

 **Don't worry, there won't be any Enoshima, the Taken Queen, but I am considering sending a primeval for Makoto to fight.**

 **For those that don't know, the Anthem Anatheme is a metaphysical principle described in several pieces of lore within the Destiny universe. It is defined as the desire to change one's reality to suit one's purposes, or "to dominate the objective universe with the subjective will".**

 **Several paracausal beings utilize, invoke or draw power from the Anthem Anatheme in some way; the most notable examples are the Ahamkara and the Worm Gods, which are theorized by Medusa to have evolved separately in competition for the same ecological niche. Ahamkara feed off of the wishes (which are manifestations of the Anthem Anatheme) of other beings to grow in size, whereas the Worm God Xol transformed himself into a weapon after his physical death in order to fulfill the Anthem Anatheme for the wielder.**

 **Beings who draw power from the Anthem Anatheme are known to use a specific phrase, "O/Oh (subject) mine," when addressing other beings. This is theorized by Medusa, a Craftmind, an exceptionally complex AI, or so it claims to be, to invoke an ontomorphic effect, placing the target in a cage of "o" (activational, specific, appealing, and naming) and "mine" (defining ownership and subordination).**

 **On a different note, Season of the Drifter has been great so far. Getting Thorn back was awesome. Between that and Byf's video on the story of Thorn and The Last Word, I think I might be a little obsessed with Dredgen Yor and the Weapons of Sorrow. And that Thorn lore tab:**

 **"To rend one's enemies is to see them not as equals, but objects—hollow of spirit and meaning." —13th Understanding, 7th Book of Sorrow**

 **"The Weapons of Sorrow are not the endgame, but a road map. Each evolution, every advance in the delivery of pain and the mastery of destruction feeds the Hive's hateful weapons research. They will map every scream, harness every aggression, until they understand every method by which to ravage the hearts, minds, and flesh of man. And in doing so, they will turn us against ourselves—feeding our lust, our greed, our fear, until we become a threat unto ourselves like none we could imagine. So, wield these, angry reaper. Strive to know the darkness in your own heart. Walk in the shadows of fallen heroes. And know that you are an enemy of hope."**

— **a warning**

 **I wonder if I should include that as a note. Can you imagine Nagito trying to steal Thorn to destroy it or Junko trying to steal Thorn? Dredgen Despair. I should work on that because it seems rather uninspired.**

 **Anyway, see you starside guardians. Feel free to leave a review before you go.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Traditional Dancer (Part 3)

* * *

 **Hello again, oh readers, mine. Welcome back to another chapter of "Everyday Life with Ultimate Girls." I'm glad the last chapter was well received, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Who doesn't love Mikan? I hope you will all stick around to see how I resolve the problems of her home life later, but that's a different chapter down the line.**

 **Today, you came here for everyone's favorite Ultimate Brat, Hiyoko! Now before anyone asks, and I know I've mentioned this in previous chapters and notes, but I'll clarify it again, this is the Hiyoko who looks her age, not the female version of Yugi Moto… Yeah, I can't believe I made that comparison either, she's so bratty and he's so kind. (Hmm, Yami Hiyoko? I should stop before I get too far off topic.)**

 **Makoto is going to have his hands full as the brattiness is strong in this one. But he's not Makoto Naegi if he doesn't at least try.**

 **Anyway, enough stalling, on with the chapter!**

* * *

 _Present Day_

Naegi noticed Saionji pouting and gave her a pat on the head, an action that caused her to stop pouting and caused her to blush instead. To anyone who didn't know Saionji, this would have seemed odd until they learned about her personality.

Despite finally looking like a high school student, Saionji still acted like a little girl. Naegi figured that she had been getting away with acting like one for years and old habits are said to die hard.

"Ahem." Koizumi cleared her throat to get their attention. "You two certainly have the strangest bond," she noted with a strained smile on her face.

Naegi stopped patting Saionji, who in turn glared at Koizumi for interrupting her moment with Naegi. Tsumiki was still oddly silent.

"Well, one of the strangest I suppose," Naegi said as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. _I'd say Enoshima and Yukizome-sensei are up there too,_ Naegi thought.

"Naegi-onii!" Saionji whined in embarrassment.

"Sorry Senpai, but she's right. It wasn't that long ago that I was still 'Servant' and not 'Naegi-onii,'" Naegi pointed out.

Saionji went back to pouting, but knew she couldn't disagree, she had been rather vocal about her opinion of Naegi. Still, instead of conceding that point, she just huffed and looked away.

 _She's still just like a little kid,_ Naegi thought. He had to admit, that part of Saionji could be endearing, even back when she was bossing him around.

 _I wish people would forget about that. It wasn't like I was that bad to Naegi-onii, right?_ Saionji asked herself.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Kitchen_

 _First Day of Classes_

 _Okay Makoto. It's your first-time making dinner for these people, but that's no reason to be nervous. Sure, some, or rather most don't really want you in this dorm and the success of this meal may change that even slightly, but that's not cause for any stress,_ Naegi attempted to convince himself as he proceeded to julienne a cabbage. He decided to go with what he knew, and he knew Japanese meals. He hoped it would go over well, but he was still wondering if he should have gone outside his comfort zone instead of playing it safe tonight.

Naegi didn't notice he had an audience. Saionji had come to see what her new servant was doing. She had hoped to catch him slacking off but wasn't too disappointed that she didn't when she saw that Naegi had decided to go for a more traditional dinner.

"Not bad, Servant. No bad at all," she said suddenly, causing Naegi to stop slicing cabbage and look up.

"Oh, Saionji-senpai. Is something wrong?" Naegi asked. He was a bit surprised to see the older girl here. He was almost positive that she hated him.

"Well, other than the fact that you're in _our_ dorm, not really," she said, causing Naegi to wince. She then said, "But I'll overlook it this once since you seem to understand how amazing Japanese cuisine is."

Naegi was thankful that he seemed to have made the right choice tonight, and then explained, "My family has always taken great pride in being Japanese so we try to keep it traditional as often as we can." That wasn't to say that the Naegi family looked down on other cultures, Naegi himself certainly enjoyed learning about new places, he particularly enjoyed his grandparents' stories about their trips around the world in their youth. He kept that to himself though as he doubted Saionji would be interested.

"I might just go easy on you if that's the case," Saionji said. _Not really, but you don't need to know that_ , she thought.

"Well…thank you Senpai," Naegi said, not really sure how to respond to that.

"You do learn fast. It looks like you already know your place," Saionji said, slightly impressed, but mostly glad that her new servant appeared to be such a push over. A few seconds later, she said, "Well, I'll leave you to it. Don't disappoint me now."

"I won't Senpai," Naegi said slightly relieved. It seemed that he had been wrong, and Saionji was more reasonable than he thought. It would take a few days, but he would learn just how wrong he was.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Courtyard_

 _Fourth Day of Classes_

Classes had ended for the day and Naegi had decided to make his way back to the dorm. Not right away of course, he wanted to take in the scenery. It was certainly what he expected from a school with Hope's Peak Academy's reputation; the grounds were so well maintained. There were a few spots that looked like they had been torn up. When Naegi had asked about it at dinner last night, Class 77-B pointed towards Owari. Naegi didn't ask for an explanation, he had a feeling he needed to see it to really understand. Naegi was shaken from his musing by a voice he had become quite familiar with.

"Squish! Squish!"

"Huh?" Naegi looked around and saw Saionji in the grass nearby. "Senpai, what exactly are you doing?" Naegi asked as he rushed over to Saionji.

"Hmm? I'm squishing!" Saionji responded, as though it should be obvious.

"Squishing what?" Naegi asked.

"Ant-san, of course. I'm squishing a lot of ant-sans," Saionji explained. Naegi thought that she sounded…happy.

"Come again?" Naegi asked. _I guess Saionji-senpai isn't afraid of bugs. But squishing them for the fun of it? That's more something little kids do isn't it?_ Naegi asked himself.

"Hehe... If you squish their tummies just right, it makes this awesome sound," Saionji explained. She then asked, "Wanna do it together!?"

"Not really, but I appreciate the offer," Naegi said, attempting to decline as politely as he could. _Note to self: Hide all magnifying glasses so Saionji can't roast the ants,_ he thought. Naegi didn't particularly care for ants, but cruelty was cruelty.

"Aww, okay," Saionji said, sounding disappointed. But she soon said, "Hmph, you wuss..."

Naegi knew she said that knowing that he could hear. _Saionji-senpai's attitude doesn't match her appearance at all. She seemed a lot more reasonable the other day,_ he thought.

"Hey Servant, I've been thinking this ever since I first met you, but will you get mad if I say it?" Saionji asked.

"I'm not sure that I can answer that without knowing what you're going to say," Naegi answered. Naegi had a feeling that he wasn't going to like this.

"I see. Then I'm gonna say it," Saionji said with a nod. "Um, um...I've been thinking this ever since I first met you... You have a shady-looking face, and you look like the kind of person who's too lazy to try hard. And not only that, I think you're so hopeless for coming after me like some pervert!" Saionji exclaimed.

"What!" Naegi yelled in shock. His feeling was right, he didn't like it. _Shady? Lazy? Pervert? Where did those come from?_ Naegi asked himself. Then he said, "I don't know where you got 'shady' and I don't think you can call me 'lazy' with all the work I've been putting in around the dorm. And I've never come after you."

Saionji's face fell when she heard that and then she choked out, "Ugh..."

Naegi had a bad feeling about this. "Huh?"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah! You said you wouldn't get mad! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Saionji cried.

 _Oh crap, it's like back when I was still spoiling Komaru,_ Naegi panicked mentally. "S-Sorry... I'm sorry I yelled at you. Please don't cry anymore."

"Ugh...hic..." Saionji started calming down and asked, "Then...if you're really sorry, can you buy me the thing I like?"

"That was quick," Naegi accidentally blurted out. That was a mistake.

"*Sniffle*..." Saionji got ready to start crying again.

"F-Fine! What do I have to buy you!?" Naegi asked. He needed this to end.

Saionji gave him a hint. "Umm...it's shaped like a star, and it's small, and it's cute, and it's sweet."

"Confeito?" Naegi asked.

Saionji nodded silently.

 _Phew... At least she stopped crying,_ Naegi thought, relieved. "I can get confeito, that's no problem," he said.

"Just so you know, you won't find that in the school store," Saionji said.

"Huh? Really?" Naegi asked.

"Jeez Servant...you're such a pushover," Saionji gloated, "You totally promised me without realizing it was impossible...and you even got tricked by my fake crying!"

 _No, you definitely weren't faking those tears,_ Naegi thought.

"Jeez, you're so hopeless. I guess I'll go easy on you and make you bring me something else," Saionji said.

" _Easy." Right,_ Naegi thought snarkily

"Let's see," Saionji said as she pretended to think of alternatives. "Go steal Sonia-nee's panties for me!" she ordered.

"Absolutely not," Naegi said.

"Bitch, bitch, bitch... Bring me Tanaka-nii's earring then," Saionji said. Realizing that Naegi could just ask for it, she ordered, "And you better steal it! I don't want you to borrow it!"

 _You...don't really want it, do you...? You're just trying to make me suffer_ , Naegi thought. "Just let me bring you a snack," Naegi suggested

"Aww, but they don't have anything cute at the store," Saionji whined. She continued, "I gotta have something cute like...flower candies made with refined Japanese sugar."

"I don't know if about 'cute', but I think they're really good too," Naegi said. Continuing, he asked, "You really do like traditional Japanese candy, huh?"

"Well, it's so elaborately made that it's practically art. They're so small and sparkly and cute... I love them so much. Foreign sweets are made with too much sugar, so they're perfect for uncultured idiots," Saionji said.

 _I-If she hadn't said that last part, I would've been impressed. But I do feel like I understand Hiyoko a little more now,_ Naegi thought. "If you still want that confeito, I can get it. I brought some with me from home. My family likes traditional Japanese sweets too."

"Yay! Confeito!" Saionji exclaimed in joy. She then looked right at Naegi and said, "You actually make a pretty good servant." _I guess he can't be a complete waste if he enjoys confeito too_ , Saionji thought.

 _Guess that's about as close to a compliment as I'm going to get,_ Naegi thought with a smile. "I just need to grab it from my room, if you want to wait in the common area, I can get it right away. Just don't ruin your appetite, we haven't had dinner yet," Naegi said as he walked back to the dorm.

"Yeah, yeah," Saionji said as she followed him. _He kind of reminds me of Otou-sama,_ she thought fondly. She quickly dismissed such thoughts. _I must be going soft_ , she thought.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Old Building_

 _Second Week of Classes-Tuesday_

At the start of the second week of classes, most new students would be at least slightly familiar with the layout of their new school. However, most students weren't Ultimates and most schools weren't Hope's Peak Academy. As such, Naegi could be excused for still needing to familiarize himself with all of Hope's Peak's facilities.

He had some free time, so he decided to explore the old school building. Thanks to Mioda, he had some idea of what was in the building, but he was mostly familiar with the Music Room. He had gone through most of the floors and was now on the fifth. At the moment, he was at the entrance to the greenhouse.

Naegi was impressed at the variety of plants and was both impressed and intimidated by a particularly large plant in the center of the greenhouse. _I'm curious about that massive plant, but afraid of what I'll learn,_ he thought as he walked through the room. He had to admit, strange flora aside, the room had quite a relaxing atmosphere.

"Yay! New flowers!" a female voice exclaimed.

"Saionji-senpai?" Naegi asked. Looking around he saw his senpai in the middle of a large group of flower beds. "I didn't know you liked flowers," Naegi said as he approached her.

"Huh!? What does that mean, you stupid, ugly, idiot!? You're so meeeeeeeeean!" Saionji yelled. She then asked, "How can you perform a traditional Japanese dance if you don't have a heart that cherishes flowers? You don't understand at all, do you?"

 _I understand, I just don't think I can reconcile that with reality. I know Saionji-senpai is the Ultimate Traditional Dancer, but that's easy to forget with her foul mouth and rotten attitude. If it weren't for those, she'd look perfect standing next to flowers_ , Naegi thought. He wasn't proud of it, but it was true. He knew that those who practiced traditional dance were individuals with their own unique personalities but reconciling the image that those dancers conjured with the reality of Saionji Hiyoko was still difficult. While Naegi was thinking this, Saionji continued.

"I love flowers 'cause they're soooo pretty! I used to play at flower gardens when I was a kid. It was lots of fun stomping them and messing them up!" she said happily.

It took Naegi a minute to process what he had just heard. "...Huh? Wait, didn't you just say that you love flowers because they're so pretty...?"

"It's fun to stomp pretty things with my feet and kick them all over the place," Saionji said as though it was obvious.

"H-How...can you think like that?" Naegi asked quietly.

If Saionji heard him, she ignored him. "Oh yeah, last year Owari-nee saw me when I was stomping flowers, too. She asked me what I was doing, but it was sooooo annoying to explain it to her. So, I told her that stomping and kicking your food before you eat it gives you a lot more protein. Then she actually started eating the flowers, but she said they didn't taste that good," Saionji said with a laugh.

 _The sad thing is, I can see it. I don't even know Owari-senpai that well and I know that's something that she would do,_ Naegi thought.

"She's seriously so stupid. Hmmmm, what should I make her do the next time I see her?" Saionji asked herself out loud. Before Naegi could object, Saionji answered her own question, "Then again...Owari-nee is gullible, so no matter what I tell her to do, it'll be too boring... It's a lot more fun to mess with Pig Barf."

By this point, Naegi knew that "Pig Barf" was Tsumiki. He didn't approve of the nickname, but he didn't know if Saionji and Tsumiki had some odd friendship or if Saionji used it out of malice. Although, there was something Naegi felt the need to ask. "Aren't they your friends?"

"Pfft! No," Saionji immediately said. She then asked, "Friends are what you call a bunch of weaklings who decide to get along and play nice, right?" When Naegi didn't answer, she continued, "The world is filled with people who exist to serve perfect humans like me. That's why I don't need friends or any close contacts."

Naegi couldn't help thinking that was sad. He couldn't imagine why Saionji thought the way she did. He hoped he would one day, that he could change her mind because that kind of thinking sounded more like someone trying to convince herself she wasn't lonely.

Whether it was to further her point or get a reaction, Saionji must have had enough of Naegi's silence and asked, "You're just my slave, got it?"

"S-Slave!?" Naegi asked, mortified.

"Hey, that's a big no-no! A slave should never talk back to their master!" Saionji scolded.

Naegi figured it was best not to argue. Although he didn't appreciate Saionji's "lessons" on how slaves should act, he couldn't help wanting to know more about Saionji's home life. He would never excuse her behavior, she was old enough to know better (she was a year older than he was after all), but he wanted to understand the behavior. _At the very least, I hope it will give me more patience,_ he thought.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girl's Dorm Common Area_

 _Third Week of Classes-Tuesday_

Dinner had ended and everyone had gone to do their own thing for the evening. Naegi had finished the dishes and was ready to do the same, but he spotted Saionji, alone in the common area and thought now was perhaps a good time to learn more about her. When Naegi had parted with Saionji last time, the first thing he did when he had a free moment was call his maternal grandmother. She was a woman who enjoyed traditional Japanese theater. Naegi had called her to ask for a brief explanation of traditional Japanese dancing. When Naegi had mentioned Saionji, his grandmother began to list off all of the performances of a famous dancer named Saionji Nemuri, who Naegi had discovered was Saionji's grandmother. She had then proceeded to tell Naegi what she knew of the Saionji family.

Mentally preparing himself for whatever abuse he was sure was waiting for him, he called out to her. "Good evening, Saionji-senpai."

Saionji glared at him and began growling. "Grrrrr!"

 _Wh-what did I do?_ Naegi asked himself.

"I had a reaaaaal bad dream last night. The next time you casually say my last name, I'll kill you," Saionji warned.

 _What do those two things have to do with each other?_ Naegi asked himself. "Y-You should warn me about that ahead of time," Naegi said. Then he asked, "B-But...what's wrong with your last name anyway? Is it really that big of a deal?"

"I hate my last name! Everyone who shares my last name...eventually dies a crazy death!" Saionji exclaimed.

"Senpai?" Naegi asked, hoping she would clarify.

"...Oh well," Saionji sighed. "It can't be helped 'cause chosen bloodlines are always targeted by conspiracies and assassinations and stuff. When I'm the head of my family, I'll probably do similar stuff, too. Well, since Otou-sama only married into the family, I guess I can let him off easy," Saionji said.

To Naegi, it seemed as though Saionji was talking to herself, not him, but there were two words that Saionji said that stuck out to him. "C-Conspiracies...? Assassinations...?"

"Those people are just the worst! They'll put pins in kids' shoes, or scatter dead mice all over your bed... They're the type of people who'd drop stage lights on you on purpose, or poison your food... So, they totally deserve to die, right!? There's nothing lamer than being envied by people who have no talent at all!" Saionji exclaimed.

Naegi couldn't tell if Saionji was being honest or not at this point. He knew some of the older, well-established, more traditional families still dealt with the ugliness of clan politics, and from what he could learn, Saionji's family met those requirements. However, Naegi had interacted with Saionji enough times to know that she didn't believe that she could go "too far" if it meant she could amuse herself at someone else's expense. _Maybe if I keep her talking, I can figure out if she's telling the truth,_ Naegi thought. "So, my Obaa-san on Okaa-san's side is a fan of Su-odori, and she told me that the Saionji family has been famous for Su-odori for generations," Naegi said.

Saionji just ignored Naegi's statement and asked, "Do you know about a performance called, 'The Madness of Nakazu'? It's a dance about a dad who goes crazy. But to tell you the truth, the dad's craziness is a total lie. Now why would he do something like that?"

Naegi was confused, a feeling he was becoming quite familiar with, but thought that it was best to play along. Thankfully, Naegi knew about "The Madness of Nakazu," and thus confidently answered, "He was trying to protect his daughter."

Saionji nodded and said, "That's right... The story is about a father who pretends he's crazy so he can protect his daughter from perverts. During the performance, the bad guys are punished and there's a happily-ever-after ending, but...life isn't that easy."

Naegi nodded. He wasn't sure where Saionji was going with this, but he knew that life wasn't always easy. His luck had shown him that.

"My hag grandma thinks the family name is so important that she took me away from my parents. But then again, she did take good care of me. After all, I'm the next head of the family," Saionji finally said.

"You...you don't feel lonely?" Naegi asked. He couldn't imagine the kind of pressure Saionji must feel. _I guess she acts bratty to cope with it,_ he thought.

After a brief silence, Saionji said, "That's why it really makes me happy when you talk to me."

"Senpai…" Naegi said. As he tried to think of words of encouragement, Saionji started to laugh.

"Heh, as long as I say that, everyone gladly agrees to become my slave," Saionji said in between her laughter.

"Wha-!? H-Hold on a sec... What you said just now...how much of it was a lie?" Naegi asked as he tried to process what was happening.

"You're sooooo stupid! It'd be boring if I told you," Saionji mocked.

"Saionji-senpai, do you have any idea how worried I was for you when you told me that story?!" Naegi scolded.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Don't yell at me!" Saionji cried.

Naegi thought that she was pretending to cry, but for the sake of peace in the dorm he decided to apologize. He got what he was hoping for, he did understand Saionji a little better, but that just served to confuse and terrify him. He hoped that, given enough time, that would change.

* * *

 _Downtown_

 _Fourth Week of Classes-Saturday_

It was the evening of Mioda's reunion concert with her old band, Black Cherry, and two of her biggest fans made their way to the venue. Naegi had stopped by a flower shop earlier to get something to congratulate Mioda with after the show, a fact Saionji had found rather entertaining.

"Coming on a little strong aren't you, Servant? You haven't forgotten your place, have you?" Saionji asked.

Naegi would have been flustered regardless of who pointed out that he bought the roses the florist recommended, but Saionji made it much worse. "I-it's not like that," he stammered, "I-I just wanted to do something to let Mioda-senpai that I'm happy for her before we head back to the dorm." Naegi hoped that was what he would be using the flowers for. Naegi hadn't forgotten what Ikusaba had told him. She had said Enoshima wouldn't have done something like this unless she knew it would end badly for Mioda. Naegi personally believed that if anyone would give Mioda's music a chance they would enjoy it, but he had some misgivings. A club named "Black Box" didn't sound like the ideal venue for Mioda's band.

Saionji's voice soon brought him back to reality. "I hope this place has decent food. I wanna eat proper Japanese food," she griped.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up, Senpai," Naegi said. Naegi hated disappointing people, but he didn't see Japanese staples as being a part of the menu, if the place even served food.

"Then it's their loss," Saionji said. She continued, saying, "Rice, fish, vegetables, miso, soy sauce... I could totally live off that stuff alone. I seriously can't stand smelly, oily people who eat tons of meat! They think and act like stupid animals."

"Senpai, we're in public," Naegi said, trying to hide his face. How Saionji acted at Hope's Peak was one thing, although Naegi didn't approve of her behavior there either, but he really wished she wouldn't act like a child when they weren't on campus.

Saionji ignored him and continued to sing the praises of Japanese food, "Besides, Japan has lots of delicate, refined, high quality things." And in true Saionji fashion, she had to belittle someone, or in this case other countries. "Why do they gotta stuck up to worthless countries who can only brag about how big they are? They don't need to import anything from those stupid places."

Now, Naegi took great pride in being Japanese, but he didn't write off other countries just because they had different ways of doing things. "Senpai, that's completely uncalled for!" Naegi scolded.

"I'm just saying we should take good care of the things that are close to us," Saionji said. She then began to explain, "I know I have an old-fashioned way of thinking because I'm involved in a hobby with over 400 years of history. But what's wrong with old-fashioned things?"

"Nothing at all. I happen to enjoy a great deal of old-fashioned things and traditions," Naegi said. When Saionji had started talking, Naegi was worried about her causing a scene, but now he was happy. _I think Saionji-senpai might finally be opening up to me, at least a little. She said last time was a joke, but she seems really passionate about things this time,_ Naegi thought.

"Of course, I don't intend to disagree with the new direction Kabuki Theater is taking these days. But I think it's a good thing to protect things that need to be protected," Saionji finished.

"You really love what you do, don't you Senpai?" Naegi asked.

"Yep! I seriously love traditional dancing, Japanese candy, and Japanese food. And as much as I love these... I seriously love stomping disgusting things!" Saionji exclaimed happily.

"Is that something you really need to mention?" Naegi deadpanned. _I guess it couldn't last forever,_ he reasoned.

"Well, I'm sure a boring commoner like you won't understand," Saionji said dismissively.

"Senpai, you practice Su-odori, right? It's been years since I've seen a performance," Naegi said, attempting to minimize the insults Saionji could throw at him. It was true he hadn't seen any theater performance in a while. His maternal grandparents took him and Komaru to a Su-odori show years ago, and while Naegi remembered enjoying it, he couldn't help but think he could appreciate such a performance better now that he was older.

"Even if you do go see one, you're definitely just gonna fall asleep in the middle of it," Saionji said.

"Senpai, if you're the one doing the dancing, I'll make sure to stay awake," Naegi promised.

Saionji went silent at first, causing Naegi to look to make sure she was alright. She had a faraway look in her eyes as she said, "Otou-sama said the same thing, too."

"Huh?" Naegi had been caught off-guard by that. Up until this moment, Saionji had done nothing to show that she was capable of tenderness.

"Then...I'll make sure to specifically invite you to the next time I perform!" Saionji exclaimed happily.

"That sounds great Senpai!" Naegi replied with equal excitement.

"But in exchange, if you fall asleep, I'll publicly humiliate you. I'll record you when you're at your ugliest and upload it on the internet," Saionji warned.

"That won't be necessary Senpai, I'll stay awake. I'll even get you a bouquet of roses like these for after your performance. How does that sound?" Naegi asked.

Saionji froze up and said, "Don't get cocky just because I was nice to you this one time, Servant." She was blushing up a storm at Naegi's promise of flowers.

Deciding to just play along, Naegi said, "Forgive me, Saionji-sama. This lowly servant was just happy that you opened up to him."

Still blushing, Saionji said, "F-fine. I guess I'm feeling generous. I can't help but respect someone who can appreciate the finer things in life, even if he is a commoner and a servant." Saionji's newfound respect for Naegi made her think, _I guess I can go easy on him once in a while._

Saionji's respect for Naegi grew even more after Mioda's show. _I guess he_ _agrees that_ _it's a good thing to protect things that need to be protected_ , she thought as they escorted the sobbing Ultimate Musician back to the dorm. Saionji would spend the rest of the night trying to think of ways to make Black Cherry suffer for the way they treated Mioda if she ever saw them again.

* * *

 _Eleventh Week of Classes-Monday_

 _Minato Inn-Outskirts of Aokigahara Forest_

Class 77-B and Class 78 were enjoying the first full day of their vacation while the media frenzy regarding the hostage situation at the Novoselic Embassy died down. Naegi and the others were very grateful to Sonia for arranging this, and both Naegi and Owari were glad that Owari's brothers and sisters were allowed to join them. Naegi hoped that there was enough to keep Mari, Ataru, and Suguru entertained. The more things they had to occupy their time, the less likely they were to want to explore the forest.

 _I might be misinterpreting what Ataru-chan said, but it sounds like the kids don't know that Owari-senpai is afraid of ghosts. If Owari-senpai wants it to stay that way, I'll help her keep it that way. She does have her pride,_ Naegi thought as he explored the inn.

Thankfully, Owari had attempted to challenge Ikusaba, but had instead ended up sparring with Nidai again. The kids had gone to support their sister, so Naegi was free to look around by himself. He hoped Nidai and Owari didn't cause too much property damage, he didn't want to get kicked out the first full day of their vacation.

While Naegi was looking around, he came across a pouting Saionji. "Saionji-senpai, are you alright?" he asked. _She looks like she's in a bad mood for some reason,_ he thought.

"Grr! I've been stewing over it for a while, but they seriously piss me off," Saionji answered. She then looked Naegi right in the eye and said, "You see it too, right?"

"Who are you talking about?" Naegi asked. As far as Naegi knew, the kids had been on their best behavior, so he didn't think that was it.

"Who cares!? You gotta agree with me first! Aren't you on my side!?" Saionji asked. She started pouting again and cried, "So mean! You're totally gawking at that bitch while I'm this pissed off! Ugh! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

"Hold on a second! Calm down! I don't know who you're talking about!" Naegi begged. _Gawking at who? What is going on?_ Naegi asked himself.

"You...*Hic!*...should think about it...on your own...*Hic!*" Saionji sobbed.

Naegi figured that all he could do was take a guess, so he said the first name that came to mind. "Is it Sonia-senpai?" he asked.

"That's right. That bitch is getting totally carried away, right!?" Saionji asked.

Naegi may have suggested Sonia, but that didn't mean he knew what Saionji was talking about. Sonia was the one who arranged this trip, he couldn't imagine what she could have done that would have gotten someone angry at her.

Saionji ignored Naegi's silence and kept talking. "I don't care if she's a princess or a foreigner. She gets away with it 'cause you all pamper her like crazy! Especially that idiot, Souda! He's obviously an annoying, pathetic virgin!"

 _Pamper her?_ Naegi asked himself. It was true that everyone was grateful to Sonia for this trip, but Naegi wouldn't say anyone was pampering her. Although, now that he thought about it, Sonia seemed as fascinated with everything on this trip as Owari's brothers and sisters. Naegi wouldn't be shocked if this was the first vacation Sonia had ever taken. _Is Saionji-senpai jealous that Sonia-senpai is getting so much attention?_ he asked himself.

While Naegi was mulling that over, Saionji suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! Maybe I should punish him first as a lesson to the rest of you. C'mon Servant, let's go beat him up right now!"

"We can't do that," Naegi told her.

"Awwww, then how about we gang up on Sonia?" Saionji asked.

"Senpai, we can't, and shouldn't do that either," Naegi answered. _Now I'm starting to think Saionji-senpai is going to get us kicked out of here,_ Naegi thought.

"Whaaaaaat? How boring!" Saionji shouted. Saionji started to tear up before saying, "Fine, I guess you like that stupid pig more than me. Ugh...that's why you're so cold toward me. *Sniffle*"

"Please Senpai, don't cry! I'm not trying to side with anyone. I don't even really understand the problem," Naegi explained in an attempt to pacify Saionji.

"Huh? You're not on my side...? Gh...gh..." Saionji started to cry even harder.

"Senpai, hold on! Why do you even hate Sonia-senpai? Are you sure you're not just jealous of the attention she's getting?" Naegi asked.

"Wh-Whaaaat!? Of course not!" Saionji denied, perhaps a little too quickly.

"Then Senpai, I don't understand. I would think that as an heiress you would have more in common with Sonia-senpai than not. Are you sure you can't let this go?" Naegi asked.

"No, no, no! She seriously pisses me off! If you're not on my side, then I definitely don't wanna leave her alone!" Saionji wailed.

It was times like this that Naegi wondered if Saionji was really in high school. _What did she mean, if I'm not on her side? That sounds like she does want people to pay more attention to her,_ Naegi thought. "F-Fine...I guess I'm on your side. Seriously though...just forget about Sonia. But that doesn't mean I'm taking her side, all right!? I'm definitely siding with you!" Naegi said quickly hoping that Saionji would finally calm down.

"Really?" Saionji asked.

"Yeah," Naegi answered with a nod.

"Hehe... You're...so easy. I can't believe my fake crying tricked you again," Saionji laughed. Naegi couldn't help but notice that there were still tears in her eyes. He couldn't help but think that at least some of those tears were real.

"You're really kind-hearted. Well...in your case, I guess that's a good thing," Saionji said quietly.

"I appreciate that Senpai, it really makes me happy to hear that," Naegi said. It was true, it did make him happy that even Saionji and Koizumi seemed to be warming up to him.

"D-don't let it go to your head! Now, let's throw stones at someone!" Saionji shouted, blushing a little knowing that Naegi had heard her.

"No Senpai, let's not cause trouble and get thrown out of the inn," Naegi said. _Saionji-senpai can be hard to deal with, but if she wasn't lying about her childhood, then I guess I can understand. Her poor attitude is the wall she built up around her heart. I guess it is harder to get hurt if you don't let people in,_ Naegi thought. More and more, he believed that Saionji was showing her true self. Maybe, one day, she would show it to everyone else.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Common Area_

 _Thirteenth Week of Classes-Saturday_

"Mahriu-neeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Saionji wailed as she held on to her best friend for dear life.

"Hiyoko-chan, I really need to leave," Koizumi said as she gently tried to free herself from Saionji's grip. Today was the beginning of the weekend that Koizumi's mother would be returning home from overseas. Koizumi had been excited to spend time with her mother and had planned to spend the weekend with her family, which she couldn't do if Saionji never let go of her.

"Saionji-senpai, I think that's enough," a gruff, female voice said as Ogami lifted the dancer and Ikusaba managed to pry Saionji's arms off of Koizumi.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. Mukuro-chan," Koizumi said. Looking at a nearby clock, Koizumi then said, "If I hurry, I might still catch the next train."

"Have fun with your family this weekend, Koizumi-senpai," Naegi said as he entered the room to say good-bye to Koizumi.

"I will. Thanks, Naegi-kun," Koizumi said as she rushed out the door.

"M-Mahiru-neeeee!" Saionji said, still firmly in Ogami's grip. That look on her face reminded Naegi of a pet that believed its owner had abandoned it when said owner would merely be stepping out temporarily. It tugged at one's heartstrings, but it was unnecessary. So was Naegi's comparison apparently, because Saionji soon said, "Great, the only one in this dump I actually like is gone and I'm stuck with the rest of you."

Naegi and the others ignored Saionji's jab at them. Instead, Naegi just said, "It's just for today and tomorrow, Senpai. I'm sure you can find some way to pass the time." Naegi shuddered as he said that. He had a feeling he would regret those words.

An hour later, Saionji could be seen pouting on the couch in the common area. Once Ogami had set her down, she had planted herself in the middle of the couch and had not moved since. _"I'm sure you can find some way to pass the time." What am I supposed to do?_ Saionji asked herself

"Sayaka-chan! Could you help Ibuki do a sound check in the Music Room?" Saionji heard Mioda call out.

"Give me a few minutes Senpai, I just need to put the finishing touches on a new song," Maizono responded.

 _I'd go if you asked me. What's so great about some airhead idol who flails around on stage,_ Saionji thought. Saionji did not like idols, she thought their dancing was not only painful to watch, but an insult to the very art of dance. Spying Maizono's shoes at the entrance, Saionji got an idea.

Running up to her room she grabbed a box of tacks. She had worried that they would go to waste, but now they could entertain her once she put them in Maizono's shoes. Saionji rushed downstairs and dumped half the box in one shoe and one half in the other. She thought that she was being rather slick until she heard someone call her.

"Oh, it's Saionji-senpai. Hi there!" Asahina said with her usual enthusiasm.

Saionji panicked, but managed to avoid dropping the now empty box and getting caught. Hiding the box in one of her sleeves, Saionji turned and, as innocently as she could, asked, "Oh, it's Asahina-nee. Did you need me for something?"

"I'm just headed to the school store for some donuts. Do you want me to pick something up for you too?" Asahina asked, none the wiser to what Saionji had been doing.

Saionji mentally sighed in relief. She hadn't been caught. Going back to her usual self, asked, "It's always donuts with you, isn't it?"

Asahina nodded happily and exclaimed, "Yeah! Donuts are super delicious. The sweet sugar, the dough's texture, eggs and butter...thinking about it makes my mouth water!"

"Hmm...yeah that sounds right. You would like crappy food like that, Asahina-nee," Saionji said, snottily.

Asahina looked like she couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Donuts!? Crappy!? The ring-shaped delicious treat that sends your taste buds to outer space!?" she asked, not believing that anyone could say anything bad about donuts.

"Outer space? How can you stand to say cringy stuff like Tanaka-nii and Yamada-nii?" Saionji asked.

"It doesn't matter if it hurts or not! I won't let anyone trash donuts as long as I live!" Asahina proclaimed.

"Obviously Japanese snacks look prettier and taste better than those boring things!" Saionji argued.

"Japanese snacks are good too. But...that doesn't mean donuts aren't!" Asahina countered. She was really starting to get frustrated with Saionji.

Seeing that she struck a nerve, Saionji decided to go in for the kill. "You think everything tastes good! You're such an airhead, Asahina-nee! You're happy as long as you can eat, right? Kyahahaha!" Saionji laughed.

"Hold on, I'm not some fatty, okay!? Geez, you say some horrible things!" Asahina yelled, turning red from embarrassment and anger.

"You're right. All the fat goes to your boobs!" Saionji added.

"You know what? Forget I asked you if you wanted anything. Last time I try to do something nice for you!" Asahina yelled as she stormed out.

Saionji breathed a sigh of relief, Asahina hadn't noticed anything. _Not that hiding things from her is all that hard,_ Saionji thought as she disposed of the now empty box. Saionji had to admit, that was fun. As much as she wanted to see Maizono discover her "surprise," Saionji thought it would be best to leave so that Maizono and Mioda wouldn't make the connection.

"Ah well, I'm sure I can find other ways to 'pass the time,'" she said with a mischievous smirk as she left the dorm.

* * *

Saionji didn't have to look that hard or that long. Once she was outside, she spotted Owari. Remembering what she had been able to get Owari to do last year, Saionji called out to her, "Owari-nee! You'll never believe it! They planted delicious plants on the school grounds!"

Owari started drooling and asked, "Really?" Clearly, she had forgotten that Saionji had done something similar last year.

"Yeah. I don't remember what they look like though. You might have to try them all to find out," Saionji said, trying not to laugh at how gullible Owari was.

"If they're delicious, it'll be worth it," Owari said as she went over to the nearest flower bed and started stuffing flowers and weeds into her mouth.

To Saionji, the best part was the look of disgust on Owari's face after each mouthful. "Dumbass," Saionji whispered as she went to look for her next victim.

* * *

A little closer to the main building, Souda was working on a pet project of his. If a new security robot didn't show Sonia that he was sorry for what happened at the embassy, nothing would. "Alright TR3-VR, what else do you need?" he asked it.

"Probably to not look like something out of a horror movie," a female voice criticized. Souda turned to find Saionji looking at Souda's new invention. She wasn't exactly wrong. Right now, TR3-VR had spider-like legs and just a simple, rectangular body.

"He's not done yet," Souda defended. He then mumbled, "Sonia-san likes that creepy stuff, so maybe she'll like it."

"Oh, it's for Sonia-nee. Do you think maybe she'll forget that you helped those idiots take her hostage?" Saionji asked.

"I didn't know that would happen," Souda said. He did feel guilty. Sonia might have forgiven him, but that just meant that he was back to square one with her. He needed to do something to get her attention away from…

"You might be right though she might like it. If it gets her to stop praising Naegi-nii for a few seconds, I'm all for it," Saionji said, going for Souda's weakness.

Reality hit Souda like a ton of bricks, ever since the hostage situation, Sonia had been obsessed with Naegi.

Deciding to go in for the kill, Saionji then said, "If you're doing it for forgiveness, it's probably unnecessary. Sonia-nee is thrilled that she found her ' _destined one_.'" She made sure to put extra emphasis on "destined one."

That sent Souda off to crouch in a corner and cry about how the Lucky Students had it out for him.

 _That was fun, but nothing I haven't done before,_ Saionji thought as she looked for new targets.

She found them a little way off in the form of Owada and Kuzuryuu, who seemed to be discussing territory.

"Kuzuryuu-senpai, some of my boys have said that they're seeing a lot of yakuza activity by the harbor. They really aren't in the mood to have yakuza on their ass because someone thinks they're encroaching on territory," Owada said.

"Don't worry about it, this is something we do every year. Just tell your guys not to get in the way and to stay away from Warehouse C and nothing will happen," Kuzuryuu said trying to be as vague as possible. One never knew who was listening, after all.

"Thanks. I'm not trying to start something, but I need to take care of my boys. I'm sure you understand," Owada said.

"No, I get it. Without their loyalty, we've got nothing," Kuzuryuu replied.

"I'm surprised anyone could be loyal to such ridiculous looking leaders," Saionji said, making sure she said it loud enough for them to hear.

"Ridiculous?!" Kuzuryuu seethed.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Owada yelled.

"Nothing. Just that your guys must be ready to die from embarrassment at having a boss that looks like caricature of a 1950's biker. I mean, seriously, a pompadour?" Saionji asked snarkily.

"GRRRR!" Owada growled, knowing he couldn't hit a girl.

"Still, a 1950's biker is probably preferable to a 1920's style gangster with a baby face," Saionji said, looking sideways at Kuzuryuu.

"You're fucking dead, bitch!" Kuzuryuu shouted as he tried to lunge at Saionji, only to be grabbed by Owada.

"Look, I get it, but you can't hit girls," Owada said as Kuzuryuu struggled.

"She's asking for it!" Kuzuryuu screamed.

"I know that but…" Saionji didn't hear the rest as she left, laughing all the while. _These idiots are just too easy_ , Saionji thought as she tried to decide what to do next.

* * *

While all of this was going on, Naegi was none the wiser to how Saionji had been using his advice. He had been in the Headmaster's Office, working out some minor details on Naegi's participation in an extracurricular activity that was still a ways off. As he was coming close to the school store, he heard Asahina's voice.

"I can't believe her. How could anyone hate donuts?"

"Asahina-san?" Naegi asked.

"Naegi-kun! You understand right? There's absolutely nothing wrong with donuts!" Asahina declared loudly, and Naegi thought she sounded angry.

"Of course not, I like donuts," Naegi agreed. When Asahina showed no signs of calming down, Naegi asked, "Asahina-san, is everything alright?"

"Saionji-senpai had the nerve, the nerve, to say donuts were 'crappy!' Then she said I'm happy as long as I can eat. Can you believe that?" she asked.

"Saionji-senpai said that? Yeah, I can believe that. Did she say that to you, or did you overhear it?" Naegi asked. While Saionji was entitled to her opinion, and Naegi knew that opinion was that Japanese snacks were superior to all others, he also had the feeling that she chose her words to insult Asahina.

"I said I was going to get donuts at the school store and asked if she wanted anything and then she insulted donuts and me!" Asahina shouted.

"I wouldn't let it get to you Asahina-san, Saionji-senpai is like that with everyone. She loves getting a rise out of people," Naegi said, trying to calm Asahina down.

"Well it worked!" Asahina exclaimed. Out of the corner of her eye, Asahina saw Ogami walk by. When she saw her friend, Asahina ran after her and asked, "Sakura-chan! What do you think of donuts?"

Naegi had a feeling that this would go on for a while. He figured that it would be best for Asahina to get this out of her system. As he was heading back to the dorm, he heard voices arguing.

"Why the fuck would you protect her!"

"I wasn't protecting shit! You just can't hurt girls!"

Naegi recognized them as Kuzuryuu and Owada. "Kuzuryuu-senpai! Owada-kun! What's wrong?" he asked.

"Stay out of this Kid!" Kuzuryuu screamed.

"Don't get involved Naegi!" Owada shouted.

"I fear they were like this when we found them," a female voice said.

Naegi looked and saw Pekoyama and Ishimaru off to the side. He had been so preoccupied with the argument he hadn't noticed the other two off to the side.

"It seems that Saionji-senpai insulted them. Kuzuryuu-senpai wanted to retaliate and Kyoudai would not let him," Ishimaru explained.

Naegi mentally sighed. _Saionji-senpai? Again? I know she likes to instigate but given how temperamental these two are, someone could get hurt._ Naegi was at a loss on how to fix this and before he could give the matter any thought, he heard mumbling.

"Sonia-san. *grumble* *mumble* Why not me?"

Naegi recognized Souda's voice and called out for him. "Souda-senpai!"

"Go away. Go have Sonia-san fawn over you. The brat was right, it's hopeless," Souda whined.

"Hey! He was just wanted to make sure you were alright, asshole!" Owada said as he grabbed Souda and lifted him up. Naegi saw that Souda had a vacant look in his eyes and wasn't looking at anything. Owada just saw that Souda wasn't looking at him and got angrier. "Are you looking down on me too!?" Owada asked.

"Watch it punk!" Kuzuryuu shouted at Owada.

"…" Souda said nothing.

"You could at least say 'Thank you' you bastard!" Kuzuryuu yelled at Souda.

"Souda-senpai just seems upset, I'm sure that…" Naegi began calmly.

"SHUT UP!" the two screamed.

"Let it go, Naegi-kun," Pekoyama said as she walked up to Naegi.

"Kyoudai can't resolve his anger in his normal way because Saionji-senpai is a girl and he won't allow Kuzuryuu-senpai to retaliate against Saionji-senpai either," Ishimaru explained again.

"Have they taken their anger out on anyone else?" Naegi asked, worried for Souda's safety.

"They have tried," Ishimaru said.

"We have been trying our best to prevent them from doing anything they will regret later," Pekoyama added as she and Ishimaru went to save Souda.

"What else has Saionji-senpai done today?" Naegi asked himself. After he saw Pekoyama and Ishimaru successfully rescue Souda, he went back to the dorm. He didn't have to wait long for an answer. As he went to remove his shoes, he saw some red spots on the floor. None of them were particularly large, but Naegi tell that they were fresh blood. All of them were next to Maizono's shoes.

"Maizono-san! Are you alright?" Naegi asked as he hurried to the common area. He saw Mioda and Maizono and as he suspected, Maizono's feet were bleeding.

"Makoto-chan, you need to get Mikan-chan," Mioda said.

"What happened?" Naegi asked.

"Someone put tacks in my shoes," Maizono said through gritted teeth. Naegi couldn't blame her, from what he could see, the punctures were small, but they were bleeding a lot.

"Who would do that?" Naegi asked, not really expecting an answer as he made to leave for the infirmary.

"I bet it was Saionji-senpai," Asahina declared as she arrived with Ogami in tow. Asahina then elaborated, "I saw her doing something near the shoes, but I didn't know what it was. I'm sorry Maizono-san."

"It's not your fault Asahina-san," Maizono said as she tried to smile.

"I'll go get Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi said as he left. _Saionji-senpai is out of control today,_ he thought. On his way back to the main building, he saw various plants and flowers torn out of the ground with what appeared to be bite marks. He wanted to hurry but he couldn't help his curiosity and followed the trail. Thankfully, it wasn't exactly out of his way. He soon caught up to the source of the uprooted and half-eaten plants and saw Owari who made to grab a three-leafed plant that Naegi swore looked like…

"Owari-senpai stop! That's poison ivy!" he shouted as he ran over and held her back.

Luckily, Owari did stop and she looked up at Naegi and asked, "What do you mean 'poison ivy'?"

"It's a plant that makes you itchy. If you eat it, it can kill you," Naegi said as he helped her to her feet.

"Oh, sorry. Saionji-san said that something tasty had been planted but she couldn't tell me what it looked like, so I just tried everything," Owari explained, glad that Naegi had stopped her.

Naegi was glad too. So glad in fact, that he hugged Owari and said, "Senpai, promise me you won't eat strange things anymore. If you want to eat, just ask me to make something."

Owari was blushing up a storm from the hug, but managed to say, "Okay."

"Good. Now I need to go find Tsumiki-senpai. Maizono-san's feet are bleeding because someone put tacks in her shoes, could you help Mioda-senpai with Maizono-san in the meantime?" Naegi asked.

"You got it!" Owari exclaimed happily before heading to the dorm.

Naegi was exhausted by this point. He didn't know how much more he or anyone else could take. He only hoped that Saionji had tired herself out. He would also need to find Yukizome later, she would need to know what her student had been doing.

 _I'll worry about that later. Maizono-san's feet are bleeding because of those tacks and though I doubt Maizono-san would get tetanus from them, I'd feel better knowing that Tsumiki had that possibility covered. She should probably look at Maizono-san's puncture wounds anyway_ , Naegi thought as he made his way to the infirmary.

As he entered, he saw both Tsumiki and Saionji. Tsumiki was on a stool, looking for something in a cabinet. From Naegi's perspective, it looked like Saionji was there to help. Though, that was odd, given that Tsumiki was Saionji's favorite target. Figuring that he wouldn't get a better chance today than now, Naegi decided that he needed to discuss Saionji's behavior with her. Before Naegi could call Saionji out for her behavior though, Saionji decided to kick the stool Tsumiki was standing on.

Tsumiki lost her balance and fell but luckily, Naegi caught her. When he and Tsumiki had gotten back to their feet, Saionji said, "Nice catch, Servant."

"Is that all you have to say? Tsumiki-senpai could have really gotten hurt," Naegi scolded.

"She could have, but didn't," Saionji said dismissively.

"That doesn't make it okay, what would have happened if I hadn't been here?" Naegi asked.

"We're in the infirmary, if someone is going to get hurt, this is the best place to do it," Saionji said.

"What kind of attitude is that? Saionji-senpai, you've been acting without any regard for anyone else's wellbeing today. Owari-senpai almost ate poison ivy and Maizono-san's feet are bleeding because of you. And then-," Naegi began.

"Whatever," Saionji said as she left the room. _That's enough fun for one day,_ she thought.

"Yukizome-sensei and Koizumi-senpai are going to hear about this," Naegi called after her. He sighed, she wasn't listening, and it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. Turning to Tsumiki, he asked, "Are you okay Senpai?"

"Y-yes, thank you," Tsumiki said, blushing.

"Saionji-senpai is getting out of hand. I can't do anything about the pranks and-," Naegi stopped as he saw something on the infirmary counter.

"Naegi-kun? What's wrong?" Tsumiki asked.

"I think I have an idea about what to do about Saionji-senpai's dirty mouth. Senpai would you know if Kimura-senpai takes requests?" Naegi asked.

"T-there sh-shouldn't be any harm in asking. I-I th-think she's in the Chemistry Lab in the old building," Tsumiki replied.

"Good, I'll go see her next," Naegi said. Remembering why he came to the infirmary, he said, "Tsumiki-senpai, Saionji-senpai put tacks in Maizono-san's shoes and now her feet are covered in puncture wounds. Could you go help her? She's in the dorm common area."

Tsumiki nodded before grabbing the supplies she thought she would need and hurrying to the dorm.

* * *

 _Present Day_

Saionji looked down, ashamed of her old self. Sometimes she wished Owada had let Kuzuryuu hit her. It might have saved her from what happened later. It wasn't like she gave up her snarky or sarcastic comments entirely, but she had learned when to quit. Mostly.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked and saw that it was Naegi's.

"Senpai, you're shaking. Are you remembering…" Naegi trailed off, trying to find the right words for such a sensitive topic.

Saionji nodded. "If I had listened to you earlier, I could have saved us both from that experience," Saionji said as she latched on to Naegi in a hug.

Ordinarily, Koizumi and Tsumiki would have at least glared at Saionji for that display, but they had a feeling that they knew what it was that she was thinking about.

It really had all started with that one dinner…

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fourteenth Week of Classes-Friday_

Saionji was rather pleased with herself. Another fun day of pranks and insults had come and gone. These plebeians weren't good for much, but they sure were entertaining. Today she didn't even have to do much; all she did was release Tanaka's animals and they took care of the rest. Sure, she got the occasional lecture from Yukizome and Koizumi, but they'd never really punish her.

There was one thing bothering her though. Tsumiki looked far too happy this evening. Of course, Saionji knew why, Naegi was making Tsumiki's favorite food for dinner tonight. Saionji had then noticed that Tsumiki did not seem focused on the world around her. In fact, that little bit of drool led Saionji to conclude that Tsumiki was lost in some fantasy. Well, she would soon put a stop to that. _Huh, I guess Western style meals have their advantages after all,_ Saionji thought as she picked up her fork before she jabbed Tsumiki with it."Pig barf, could you not drool? It's disgusting," Saionji said loudly.

Tsumiki checked. She had indeed been drooling. She guessed she had been enjoying her fantasy a little too much. "Sorry," Tsumiki said, embarrassed.

Saionji smelled blood in the water and decided to keep going. "Huh? What's with that half-assed apology? Apologize like you mean it," Saionji ordered.

"I-I'm sorry," Tsumiki said, louder than before.

"I don't believe you. I'm sure not going to forgive you for being a gross pig," Saionji said snidely. _You've been too happy lately. Not just tonight,_ Saionji thought.

"I'M SORRY!" Tsumiki screamed.

"Pig barf, why don't you get out of here before you ruin everyone's appetite?" Saionji phrased that as a question, but anyone who knew her knew it was a demand.

"B-but w-when c-can I-I…?" Tsumiki began through tears.

 _Is she getting up to leave? That's hilarious,_ Saionji thought as she tried to contain her laughter.

"Tsumiki-san stay where you are. Saionji-san, Tsumiki-san couldn't possibly ruin anyone's appetite," Yukizome said more forcefully than she normally would. Naegi had made good on his promise to Saionji, Yukizome had heard about her behavior and was having none of it.

"Saionji-senpai, I think you should apologize to Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi said as he entered the dining room. _One last chance, Saionji-senpai. You should take it,_ he thought.

"That's nice, but I don't listen to servants. Do something useful and get me a drink," Saionji ordered. _Don't act like you can tell me what to do and don't forget the position you're in,_ Saionji thought smugly. Tsumiki and Souda were her favorite targets among her class, but along with Owada, who would never retaliate, Naegi was her favorite target in Class 78. Although occasionally, her servant needed to be reminded of where he stood.

"Okay," Naegi said without a fuss.

He came back shortly and gave Saionji a glass full of what appeared to be fruit juice. Saionji took one sip and spat it back out. "BLAH! WHAT DID YOU JUST GIVE ME?!" she demanded to know.

* * *

 **Okay. We're leaving it there for now. The conclusion comes next, hope you are all looking forward to it! I know, I took forever. I'm sorry. I tend to slow down in the summer because yard work doesn't care that I have chapters to type.**

 **Wow, so that's Mukuro, Sayaka, Ibuki, Sonia, Akane, Aoi, Mahiru, Mikan, and Hiyoko now. I guess those last three are only really half done but I'll count them right now anyway. That leaves us Celes, Peko, Kyoko, then a chapter with some characters I know at least some of you have been asking for, Chiaki, Yukizome, and Junko. That takes us to our summer break chapters which then leads us to the V3 girls along with Toko/Syo and Sakura. I might add Natsumi, Sato, Ruruka, Seiko, and Miaya if there is enough of a demand for them. If I forgot any, let me know.**

 **I know! I know! I said I'd give Kazuichi a break, but it isn't my fault Hiyoko likes to make fun of him in the canon. Contrary to how I portrayed her at the end, I actually kind of like Hiyoko, I just think she doesn't get enough pushback and therefore continues to up the ante.**

 **Now, given Hiyoko only dancing with a fan and no other props, I strongly believe that she performs Su-odori.**

 **Su-odori (** **素踊り** **) or goshugimono (** **御祝儀物** **) – this is a stripped-down version of a dance that is related to Kabuki buyō. It is performed in a formal kimono but usually without any other dance costuming or staging, with the dancer often using only a fan. The fan is the most important prop in Nihon buyō, and can be used to represent various other objects in the dance.**

 **Admit it, Mondo looks like one of those gang members you see in the 50's movies or promoting 50's style diners. Don't get me wrong, I like Mondo, but I can't ignore that comparison. It didn't help that his brother in the English localization of DR1 sounded like someone from the cast of Grease. And yes, I know he's based on Josuke from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, but I can't look at Mondo and not see a 50's biker.**

 **The Fuyuhiko 1920's gangster thing was because of this:**

 **Lester Joseph Gillis (December 6, 1908 – November 27, 1934), known by the alias George Nelson, better known as Baby Face Nelson, was an American bank robber in the 1930s. Gillis was given the nickname Baby Face due to his youthful appearance and small stature, although few dared call him "Baby Face" to his face. Criminal associates instead called him "Jimmy". Nelson entered into a partnership with John Dillinger, helping him escape from prison during the famed Crown Point, Indiana Jail escape, and was later labeled along with the remaining gang members as public enemy number one.**

 **Nelson was responsible for killing more FBI agents in the line of duty (three: W. Carter Baum, Herman Hollis, and Samuel P. Cowley) than any other person. Nelson was fatally shot by FBI agents during a shootout called The Battle of Barrington**.

 **I don't plan on going to the end of anyone's life in this story, but if I did, I wouldn't have Fuyuhiko get shot.**

 **Anyone who has done the Zero Hour mission for Outbreak Perfected in D2 knows about TR3-VR. I have no doubt Sonia would love him.**

 **Now for something completely different. My DanganDestiny tidbits.**

* * *

We Are Guardians!

* * *

 _It was supposed to be the end..._

 _But we weren't ready to let go. Not without a fight._

 _You wanna know who we are?_

 _We're Guardians._

 _We're Hunters. Titans. Warlocks._

 _We're Vault Raiders. Swordbearers. Godslayers._

 _We ride into the Darkness. Together_

 _We navigated our solar system. Seeking to take back our planets and destroy the Darkness at its heart._

 _But all actions have consequences…_

 _We've angered a god, The Taken King, who promises to bring our destruction._

 _Most would think it wise to run…_

 _But we're the line between survival and extinction._

 _We are Guardians._

 _And Guardians don't flee._

 _They fight!_

 _Join us. And become legend._

 _-The Taken King "We Are Guardians" Trailer._

* * *

Hunters

 _"What does it mean to be a Hunter? I say, it's all about where you belong. The Warlocks have their libraries, the Titans have their walls...But Hunters belong in the wilds."_

— Cayde-6

* * *

Gunslinger _—"A lone wolf who lives for the perfect shot."_

 _"I'll say it because Cayde never will. Gunslingers are elitists. Nothing but the best is good enough for their hands. And firepower isn't enough. They demand elegance, as if there's anything elegant about a gun. If they had their way, Golden Guns would be standard issue. What a universe that would be."_

— Lord Shaxx

* * *

Bladedancer _—"Beautiful lethality, relentless style."_

 _"The Bladedancer's interpretation of Arc Light is a reflection of the Hunter herself. Seeking targets to sink Light—or a knife—into."_

— Lord Shaxx

* * *

Arcstrider _—"Flow like lightning. Strike like thunder."_

* * *

Nightstalker _—"Draw from the Void. Light the way."_

 _"Some of us know the difference a Fireteam makes. Some of us...we touch the Void. Make it a part of us. And then we take a name...Nightstalker. Hunt from the shadows, pin them down, never let them see you coming. "_

— Cayde-6

* * *

 _"Hunters once prowled the wilderness and wastelands, taking big risks for even bigger rewards. You're no outlaw – at least not anymore – but making your own luck has always meant bending the rules. Your unique brand of daring and ingenuity is needed now more than ever."_

— Class description

* * *

Titans

 _"What does it mean to be a Titan? As a Titan, you are a part of the City - in a way no Warlock or Hunter could understand. The dream of the City rests upon our shoulders."_

— Commander Zavala

* * *

Striker _—"At close quarters a fist is better than any gun."_

 _"The dream of the City. Its Walls keep it together. Its spears—the Strikers—are what keep it alive."_

— Commander Zavala

* * *

Defender _—"The wall against which the Darkness breaks."_

 _"The Wall. It keeps the dream of the City intact. On the battlefield, the Defender is the Wall. And her allies stand behind her."_

— Commander Zavala

* * *

Sentinel _—"Valiant heart, unwavering resolve."_

* * *

Sunbreaker _—"Forge the fury of undying suns."_

 _"A Sunbreaker does not answer to any but the will of the Light. [...] Wield no power but the fury of fire!"_

— Ouros

* * *

 _The first Titans built the Wall and gave their lives to defend it. Now, you stand in the same high place, steadfast and sure, protecting all who shelter in your shadow. You hail from a long line of heroes, forged from strength and sacrifice. Our enemies may be deadly and merciless, but so are you."_

— Class Description

* * *

Warlocks

 _"What does it mean to be a Warlock? Power. Only Warlocks understand true power."_

— Ikora Rey

* * *

 _"Warlocks may be thinkers, but most I know can hold their own."_

— Lord Shaxx

* * *

Voidwalker _—"From the smallest atoms bloom the greatest explosions."_

 _"Voidwalkers syphon life energies for a variety of uses, a method other Guardians might not approve of. But these are dire times, and sacrifices must be made."_

— Ikora Rey

* * *

Sunsinger _—"There are flames that even the Darkness cannot extinguish."_

 _"As a Sunsinger, you are a child of the sun, gifted with the ability to restore and take life."_

— Ikora Rey

* * *

Dawnblade— _"Spread your wings and set the sky ablaze."_

* * *

Stormcaller _—"Harmony within, hurricane without."_

* * *

 _"A Stormcaller's lightning awaits release. So, release it on the Darkness. Show the universe how your Light can burn down armies."_

— Ikora Rey

* * *

 _"Warlocks have long studied the Traveler, mastering some of its arcane energies. Its true purpose remains a great mystery but discovering truth has always driven you into the unknown. Now, our enemies are the only thing that stands between you and the lost wonders of our Golden Age."_

— Class description

* * *

The Vault of Glass

" _Beneath Venus, evil stirs."_

 _"The Vault of Glass. A wound in time, a landmark to the Guardians. Only a legend such as you would be up to the challenge."_

— Ikora Rey

 _"The Vault of Glass is unique in all of the solar system. My scans indicate that other realities brush up against our own within the confines of the vault. So maybe you could even say it's unique in all the universes? The Vex are confusing."_

— Ghost

* * *

Oryx, the Taken King

 _"Where is my son? Where is Crota, your lord, your princely god, your godly prince? Tell me no lies! I feel his absence like a hole in my stomach. Where once his tender tribute whetted burrowed mouths, now only hunger remains. Hear me, O waning stars, O tattered rags of Sky — I will stopper up this tearing gulf with vengeance."_

— Oryx

 _"I am Aurash, first daughter of the dead king. I will chase my father's last screamed warning. I will know what changed the motion of our moons. If the end of the world is coming, I will understand why. On my center eye I swear it. I will understand."_

— Aurash (later consumed the king morph to become the male Auryx, King of the Hive and later still communed with the Darkness to become Oryx, the Taken King.)

 _"Sometimes I wonder if I'm a nihilist. I don't do much except break things. [...] The only way to make something good is to make something that can't be broken. And the only way to do that is to try to break everything. I'm glad I learned that the universe runs on death. It's more beautiful to know."_

— Oryx, the Taken King

 _"What Crota began, I complete. My will... conquers all!"_

— Oryx, the Taken King

 _"The [King] despaired in his final moments. Rightly so. His vengeance denied."_

— Riven

 _"Oryx is the wielder and the servant of a terrible truth. He has predicated Himself on it, He has pursued across thousands of cairn worlds His quest to embody it, and you have seen the force of that truth expended to create these Taken. He is not a simple thing to kill."_

— Toland, the Shattered

* * *

Naegi Makoto had managed to find a secluded spot where he could train with his Light. Thanks to the neural symbiosis with Ghost, he had some idea of what he was doing, but it still felt odd. Grenades, knives, and the supers: The Golden Gun; the Arc Staff; the Dusk Bow; the Spectral Blades; the Throwing Knives; and the Arc Blades; all weapons and Naegi had never handled weapons. That he knew exactly how to use them once he summoned them was the strangest part. Ghost suggested that Naegi was gaining the memories of his Guardian self through the neural symbiosis and Naegi had no doubt that was true. It didn't make it less strange that he both knew and at the same time knew that he did not know how to use these abilities though.

The night was ending, Naegi knew he had to get home. Ghost had told the Naegi family about what changes Makoto would go through as a Guardian, one of which was no longer requiring sleep. But they were not aware that their son and brother had been sneaking out at night to train in secret.

"I know this will sound strange Makoto, but at the rate you're going you should catch up with yourself in no time," Ghost chirped with pride. His Guardian really was special, no matter what timeline or time period he was in.

"You think so?" Naegi asked. It hadn't been the rough start he had expected. He had taken to the weapons well, although Thorn, Necrochasm, Touch of Malice, Whisper of the Worm, and One Thousand Voices gave him the creeps. _I doubt I could get used to weapons whispering to me,_ he thought. The abilities that the Light gave him went smoothly enough, although he hoped to never have to use them. Although he had to admit his new dodge skills were fun, especially when he could become invisible while dodging.

"I know so. You were one of the greatest Guardians to ever live. Every Ghost is born knowing that we have to find our Guardian. We don't know what they look like. Not on the outside, anyway. On the inside, I'd always known who you were. And that together, we could be something more. When you think about everything we had seen, everything we had done, I feel like... I made the right choice," Ghost said. He had said this once before to his Guardian during the SIVA Crisis, or rather he would say it in the future.

"Ghost…" Naegi said.

"Thanks - you know - for being my Guardian," Ghost finished.

"Thanks for being my Ghost," Naegi replied. Naegi still didn't know what it meant to be a Guardian, he supposed he would know one day when the Traveler made its way to Earth. He couldn't very well hold back the Darkness if the Darkness hadn't come for the Traveler. Until then, perhaps he could use his new abilities to help people.

Thinking about the Darkness caused Naegi to ask, "Do you think we'll be able to do anything about the Collapse?"

"I hope so. Although I'd feel better if we at least had a full fireteam with a Titan and Warlock," Ghost said. Naegi had become a great Hunter, but the other classes of Guardians would be invaluable.

"Do you think the Traveler might have already sent Ghosts out after it sent that pulse of Light?" Naegi asked.

"Anything is possible, Makoto," Ghost answered. It would be good for them to have help, but Ghost had a feeling that other Guardians showing would come with its own share of problems.

* * *

 _Sometime later_

Ghost had to admit, being at Hope's Peak Academy felt a lot like being in the Last City. The colorful personalities of the students made him feel right at home. The only issue was that he couldn't associate with anyone. Naegi was probably correct that the timeline was already altered too much due to Ghost's presence and the pulse of Light, but Ghost still thought it best to keep a low profile.

Today's class was like all the others. Ghost already knew everything the teacher was covering so he allowed his mind to wander until he heard a scream of, "WHAT THE FUCK!"

Owada Mondo, one of Naegi's classmates, was looking out the window when he had screamed those words. Most of the class looked out the window to see Hope's Peak security attempting to keep three people out. One was a large boy that looked a bit like Owada; another looked like a female version of one of their senpai, Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko; and the third was a girl with long, green hair. "Whoever that fucking guy is, he's going to pay for going around looking like my dead aniki," Owada attempted, and failed to, whisper through clenched teeth.

Naegi heard that, but his eyes were drawn to something else. All three of those people had Ghosts following them. With a sigh, he asked, "So…should we still keep a low profile, or should we do something about this?"

His classmates wondered who he was talking to before they saw a tiny robot seem to materialize and say, "I suppose it can't hurt anything now."

Naegi nodded, opened the window, and got ready to jump. Before that though, he turned to Owada and said, "Owada-kun, I think I can explain what's happening. If it's what I think it is, then that isn't an imposter."

Owada's only response was, "Huh?" before Naegi jumped out the window and jumped again in midair.

Enoshima had been watching. In fact, she had been watching Naegi since she had met him. Something about him was just…interesting. At least she and her sister could agree on that. She would need to hear what Naegi would tell Owada since even her analytical prowess couldn't understand how Naegi had done what he had done or how the dead had come back to life.

* * *

As Naegi and Ghost approached the three new Risen and security, they noticed that the Headmaster and some of his senpai from Class 77-B were approaching too.

"Well, that's fortunate," Ghost said.

"Kuzuryuu-senpai I can understand, one of those girls is definitely a relative of his, but why are the others here?" Naegi asked. He didn't expect an answer; Ghost couldn't know why Koizumi and Saionji would be here.

The wasn't any time to dwell on it either as the single, male Risen said to security, "We need to get in there," as he gestured at the Hope's Peak grounds.

"And I said, 'No one comes in without permission!'!" a large, angry-looking man, Sakakura Juzo, said.

"Fuck it! Let's just charge him!" one of the girls, the one that looked like Kuzuryuu, said.

"I would love to see the three of you try," Sakakura said, hoping to provoke them.

The third Risen, a girl with green hair, thrust her arm out at Sakakura. If Naegi and Ghost had any doubts about whether or not the three newcomers were among the Traveler's chosen, this dispelled them. The girl was a Voidwalker warlock. The Void Light in her hand was proof of that. Luckily, Naegi was quicker than the girl and had shot a Void Arrow off to the side of security and the three Risen. Void Light shot out of the orb the arrow left behind, tethering and suppressing the group before they came to blows.

Taking notice of his surroundings now that a confrontation had been avoided and another unexplainable even had occurred, Kirigiri Jin noticed Naegi with a bow in his hand. Once the bow had faded from existence, Jin asked, "Naegi-kun, do what was that just now? What is happening?" The man was sure he was going mad. Dead students were at the front gate. A current student was making objects appear and disappear and he had apparently weaponized that ability. What was next? An extinction-level event?

Naegi turned to Jin and noticed his senpai had finally noticed him too. Before Naegi could answer, Ghost said, "We can answer all of your questions, Sir. Once everyone is able to move again can we meet in your office? They'll need to hear this too." Ghost turned to indicate the three Risen.

"No, I want answers now. How can Natsumi be here when she died last year?" Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko asked with barely contained anger.

"I-is that really Sato-chan?" Koizumi asked, not daring to believe that her friend had somehow miraculously returned to life.

"I'll answer those questions, but right now I think it would be best to contact the families of those three and anyone else close to them. There's no point in hiding this if they know that these three had already died once," Ghost explained.

"Once everyone is free, we should go talk to Owada-kun. He'll need to let his family know," Naegi said to Ghost.

Ghost agreed before approaching the three Risen and their Ghosts and said, "Once you can move follow us."

* * *

"I would like to thank everyone for coming. Especially those of you who weren't invited and have no business being here," Ghost said to the large group of people in the Headmaster's office. The family members of the three new Risen joined the Headmaster and Sakakura in the office hoping for an explanation of how the dead had returned to life. He then looked to the members of Class 77-B, Class 78, Yukizome Chisa, Kizakura Koichi, Tengan Kazuo as well as a man named Munakata Kyosuke who had invited themselves and said, "We would have preferred to keep the circle small though."

"They already saw what happened, they'd probably find out sooner or later," Naegi reasoned.

"I suppose. It doesn't help that your friend announced to the classroom that his brother was dead," Ghost conceded.

"If you two are done, I would like to know how my daughter, who died last year, is standing in this room right now, looking at her family like we are strangers," Kuzuryuu Hizashi said.

"We will get to that Sir, but just to make sure most of this information stays in this room…" Ghost said as he scanned the room. "Makoto. There, there, and there," Ghost said as he directed Naegi.

Naegi nodded and threw a knife at each place in the room that Ghost pointed out. Sparks shot out upon impact and the weight of Naegi's knives caused no broken listening devices to fall to the floor.

Once Ghost did another scan, he turned towards Kirigir Jin and said, "Sorry about your office Sir, but we needed to ensure as much secrecy as we can."

"That's alright. What are you, exactly?" Jin asked.

"That's a rather long story, so I hope no one has anything planned today," Naegi said. Looking at his robotic companion, Naegi said, "Ghost…"

"Makoto is right, it is a long story. Is there a screen I could use?" Ghost asked.

"Oh, yes," Jin said as he pushed a button on his desk and part of his wall slid up to reveal a large screen.

"Will this work?" Naegi asked as Ghost began scanning the screen.

"It's a little primitive, but I can make it work," Ghost said as he finished his scan and started to set thing up for their explanation.

"'Primitive?' Hope's Peak Academy is equipped with state-of-the-art technology!" Jin shouted, in defense of his school.

"Where I come from, or rather, when I come from, it's been outdated for a long time. Now, I ask that you hold all questions and comments until the end," Ghost said as images began to appear onscreen.

Ghost began, "I'm from the future, or at least 'a' future. The Naegi Makoto I knew died long before my time. Something special brought us together. It was the Traveler. And when it arrived, it changed the Sol System forever. It was a Golden Age and for centuries, humanity thrived, until it didn't."

"An ancient enemy pursued the Traveler across the universe. Humanity faced extinction. But the Traveler made a choice. Its sacrifice destroyed its ancient enemy…and brought life to the Ghosts. I am a Ghost." Seeing that being a 'ghost' was not being well-received by Hagakure and Owari, he said, "Not that kind of ghost. I'm an AI, although I've always resented the term 'artificial intelligence.' Who do you think came up with that phrase? A bio-human no doubt. Intelligence is intelligence. How could anything with intelligence not be real?"

"Ghost?" Naegi called to remind Ghost of the matter at hand.

Remembering why they were here, Ghost said, "Right. Sorry. Where was I? Oh yes. I am a Ghost. More importantly, I'm Makoto's Ghost. And he is one of the Traveler's chosen. He is a Guardian. This is our story, our destiny."

Ghost had shown what visual records had survived The Collapse and then went on to show his and the future Naegi's adventures starting with his version of Naegi's resurrection in Old Russia.

"It didn't take long for Makoto to adjust to his new life as a Guardian. A Guardian is what someone a Ghost resurrects is called. They have been called Risen and Lightbearers, but eventually they became Guardians, but that's another story. The short version is, Guardians are an army of the chosen undead. Those who can wield the Light to fight the Darkness and protect humanity and the Traveler." On the screen, the Guardian and Ghost fought Fallen and Hive on Earth and on the Moon. The Vex and the Fallen on Venus. And the Cabal and the Vex on Mars.

Eventually, the screen showed their quest for the Black Garden and the battle against its Heart.

Ghost of course, provided commentary. "We stepped through time and prevented a garden from consuming the stars. With the eye of a Vex Gatelord in hand we struck a blow against the Darkness and destroyed the Heart of the Black Garden. After so long, the Traveler was finally able to start healing."

The video then shifted back to Venus and the Vault of Glass.

"We descended into a timeless vault and made our own fate. The Vault of Glass is unique in all of the solar system. My scans indicate that other realities brush up against our own within the confines of the Vault. So maybe you could even say it's unique in all the universes? Regardless, the Ishtar Collective described it as the Vex Underworld. It's a virtual realm used by the Vex as a testing ground to manipulate reality through the use of ontological warfare, as opposed to simulations. The Templar and its Oracles and even the Gorgons had the power to alter reality and time, even to the point of erasing the existence of those who would venture inside. At the end, Atheon, Time's Conflux was waiting. But Guardians make their own fate, and all fell to our fireteam."

The scene shifted back to Earth and showed the events of Crota's return.

"The Hive God Crota. Crota, Son of Oryx. The Hope-Eater. He was the reason we fled the moon. And the reason we returned to it. After going after his Hive brood and Omnigul, Will of Crota, we returned to the moon and destroyed Crota's physical body. But for the Hive, death is never really the end. Crota needed to die his final death in his throne world. The Ascendant realm, or if you prefer, the Ascendant Plane, Netherworld, Overworld, or Sea of Screams is a universe or possibly an alternate reality related to the Darkness. Entities closely linked to the Darkness, most notably powerful Hive, create "cyst universes" within the Ascendant Realm known as throne worlds where they have absolute power over it through something called the Sword-Logic. Anyway, down in the pit, we did with blades what guns could not. We forced our way into Crota's throne world, killed Ir Yût, the Deathsinger, and summoned Crota for the final battle. With a Hive Cleaver in hand, we ended the threat of Crota once and for all."

The screen was now showing images of Earth and Venus.

"We hunted and captured the Kell of Kells in service to the Reef's Queen. We owed her for helping us get into the Black Garden, so when Skolas, the self-styled Kell of Kells reclaimed his place as the leader of the House of Wolves, Queen Mara Sov called us in to deal with it. Skolas tried to unite all the Fallen Houses behind him and even tried to steal technology from the Vault of Glass to do it with, but we stopped him. But Skolas would not meet his end until we fought him in the Prison of Elders."

A location that did indeed look like a prison appeared on screen. Or at least it looked like a prison until everyone saw the treasure room beneath it. The scene then shifted again to Mercury and what appeared to be…a lighthouse?

"We ran into members of the Cult of Osiris in the Reef and agreed to take part in their trials. We claimed ultimate victory against other Guardians in the Crucible. Things were certainly looking up for humanity. Until he came."

The screen then displayed a massive ship with a massive fleet and an unstoppable super weapon.

"When a vengeful father and his army arrived, we stood against them. Oryx, the Taken King. Crota's father. Needless to say, he wasn't thrilled with us killing his favorite son. His Taken infested Earth, Venus, and Mars, but the Dreadnaught, Oryx's ship craved from the corpse of the Worm God, Akka, was their main base of operations. We took the fight to Oryx there and sent him back to his throne world. Just like with Crota, that was when the real battle began."

The scene shifted to the depths of the Dreadnaught and Oryx's throne world.

"We followed a monster into his lair. He emerged as something greater. We did too. Once again fighting our way into a Hive God's throne world, we fought the Warpriest, Golgoroth, the twin Deathsingers, Ir Anûk and Ir Halak. It was the death of his daughters that brought out Oryx. But just like his children, he too fell before our fireteam, leaving the Taken without a leader and the Taken King's throne empty. I don't think Toland ever forgave us for that last part."

Ghost paused for a bit. It seemed seeing Golgoroth and Oryx had startled a few in the room. Once they had calmed down, Ghost resumed. This time Old Russia was back on the screen with what looked like Fallen. Only they were…different.

"We answered Lord Saladin's call and became Iron Lords. The Fallen House of Devils had discovered old Golden Age tech. Nanotechnology called SIVA. SIVA was once a Golden Age breakthrough in self-assembling, self-replicating nanotechnology, created by Clovis Bray to accelerate humanity's colonization effort. The technology had the ability to create nearly anything that anyone could ever need. It would be used to create new structures and colonies on new worlds faster than regular construction methods. It was considered as an amazing breakthrough in technology. It was later rediscovered by the Iron Lords during the early City Age, but it turned against them with the aid of the last Warmind, Rasputin, who was awakened from his centuries-long hibernation when the Iron Lords tried to steal SIVA in their attempt to utilize it for humanity's betterment. It was later rediscovered by the Fallen, who took it to be the perfection of technology and sought to perfect themselves entirely, freeing them from their dependency on ether and mortal flesh. With SIVA, they would no longer worship machine gods, they would become machine gods. We descended into replication chamber at Site 6 and fought the remains of the old Iron Lords that had been reanimated by SIVA. Lord Saladin named us the first in a new generation of Iron Lords for that, but there was still work to do."

The screen then shifted to somewhere else in Old Russia to the Devil Splicers' Den.

"It was our wrath that stopped the machines. In the Plaguelands, we fought our way into the Splicers' Den and into the Perfection Complex. We faced Vosik, the Archpriest; destroyed the Splicer Siege Engine; and eventually fought and defeated Aksis, Archon Prime. It was around this time that the Fallen began to withdraw from Old Russia, but we wouldn't discover why until a year later."

Ghost paused the video footage again and turned to address his audience. "There's more to come, but let's take a break here."

* * *

 **Okay, that's the events of D1 down, for the most part. Next time well go through the events of Destiny 2 and how Ghost came to the present. For those interested:**

 **Natsumi-Hunter**

 **Sato-Warlock**

 **Daiya-Titan**

 **I just think those classes mesh with what we know about these characters. Plus, I might as well give Makoto a fledgling Hunter to train too.**

 **This is off topic but, you know, I'm not good enough to do this, but my interest in Junko vs and immortal, or at least nearly invulnerable Makoto makes me wonder how a Devil May Cry crossover would play out.**

 **Anyway, read and review, and I'll see you next time.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Senpais (Part 4)

* * *

 **Hello again ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages! It's me again, your humble author, wesst1.**

 **I don't think I've told you this lately, but you all are the best! I was worried about how the previous chapter would be received, but I am happy to see that you enjoyed it.**

 **I started on this site with a Naruto fic and let me tell you, you cannot say anything negative about any character without being told you're bashing them. I know, different genre, but I thought maybe I did go a little harder on Hiyoko than most people probably would have liked. I shouldn't have worried, you guys know I love these characters, most of them anyway, there were a few DR3 characters I didn't like. I'm gonna try as hard as I can to be fair to them when they show up, but if I need them to be villains, then I will make them villains.**

 **But I've rambled enough. You're here to read about how this chapter resolves the three previous chapters. Well, oh reader, mine, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _Present Day_

The mood had shifted from when Naegi arrived, but that was to be expected. Though everything had worked out in the end, these next memories were unpleasant ones for Saionji. Though everything had worked out in the end, it had been a close call for her, and had things gone differently, it probably would have ended badly for Naegi too.

These memories weren't that much better for Koizumi and Tsumiki, they didn't want to think about what could have happened to their friends.

Koizumi in particular had often wondered if it all could have been avoided if she had been firmer with Saionji sooner.

Naegi was glad that he had been able to protect Saionji long enough for help to arrive, but he couldn't help wishing he had handled that one night at dinner differently. Though in the end, the worst that had happened was that Saionji had been badly shaken up and he had suffered some injuries, Naegi still blamed himself for kicking off the events that led to the situation.

Naegi felt Saionji tighten her hold on him before she said, "It wasn't your fault Naegi-onii. I'm the one who pushed my luck with the wrong people at the wrong time."

"Saionji-senpai, you know that I would never…" Naegi began as he hugged her back.

"I know that, dummy," Saionji told him. Soon, they both felt two more pairs of arms wrap around them. Koizumi and Tsumiki had decided to join the two in their moment. Ordinarily, Saionji would have been irritated, but this time she was grateful. Though this had affected the whole dorm, all four of them were the were the ones who felt the effects the most.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Outside the Chemistry Lab_

 _Thirteenth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Naegi couldn't believe that he was doing this. He knew it wasn't really that bad, but given his current living situation, he wasn't sure earning the ire of one of the girls was in his best interest. _Maybe I'll get lucky and not need this. I can only hope,_ he thought as he knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Kimura's voice called.

Naegi entered and saw Kimura along with two other people: a petite girl with strawberry blonde hair and a hat with a strawberry on top in the standard Hope's Peak uniform and a young man with a tall, lean build, pale blonde hair, sharp brown eyes, pale skin and a serious expression. He wore a red trench coat over the standard Hope's Peak Uniform.

Trying to be polite, Naegi greeted them. "Hello. I'm Naegi Makoto from Class 78," he said as he bowed.

"Oh! Naegi-kun! These are my friends and classmates. The girl is Ando Ruruka the Ultimate Confectioner and the boy is Izayoi Sonosuke the Ultimate Blacksmith," Kimura introduced.

Naegi attempted to shake hands with the two. Sonosuke did not accept and Ando placed a candy in Naegi's hand.

To say Naegi was confused would be an understatement. Looking to Kimura for help, she said, "Ruruka-chan doesn't trust anyone who won't eat her candies."

"Oh, well, thank you Ando-senpai," Naegi said as he popped the candy into his mouth. "Mmm, this is the best candy I've ever had in my life!" Naegi exclaimed.

"Of course it is," Ando said smugly.

"Naegi-kun did you need me for something? Is your shoulder alright?" Kimura asked with concern in her eyes.

"Hmm? Oh no, nothing like that but I do need your help with something," Naegi said before he explained what had brought him here.

The students from Class 76 listened, although only Kimura seemed interested. After Naegi was done, she said, "I'd be happy to help if I could, Naegi-kun, but I'm a pharmacist, not a disciplinarian."

"Well, with Saionji-senpai, I wouldn't hurt her in any way, but I'm reminded of stories my Oji-san used to tell me about his trips to America back in the 1950's. Something about how they disciplined children with foul mouths by washing their mouths out with soap. Instead of soap, I'd like to use mouthwash, as sour as you can make it if that's possible," Naegi explained.

"Mouthwash is easy, making it sour though…," Kimura trailed off. She had never really thought much about the flavor of her creations; it was always more important that the medicines worked.

"That's where I come in Seiko-chan!" Ando exclaimed as she walked over to Kimura.

"A joint project sounds like fun! When do you need this Naegi-kun?" Kimura asked, happy to be working on something with her friend.

"I don't want to rush either of you, but as soon as you can. If you can. I'm sure you're busy with it being your last year," Naegi said.

"Something like this? It's not like you asked for something challenging, come back tomorrow," Ando told him.

"Thank you. Thank you both," Naegi said with a bow.

"It's no trouble Naegi-kun. I'm always happy to help," Kimura said.

"Just don't forget, you owe us for this," Ando told him.

Naegi wasn't sure why, but the thought of owing Ando a favor scared him a little.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fourteenth Week of Classes-Friday_

Ando and Kimura had been true to their word and had completed the request by the next day. Naegi had tested it himself and it was exactly what he was looking for, although he hoped he would not need to us it and that Saionji would correct her behavior on her own. Just to be safe he kept it in the kitchen, hidden away just in case he did need it.

That had been the right call since Saionji had not gotten better, she had gotten worse. Naegi could take the insults Saionji hurled at him, it wasn't really personal, she was like that with everyone. The "pranks" she had pulled on everyone else last weekend was too far though. Maizono's feet were still tender from the tacks Saionji had put in her shoes; Owari could have died if she had eaten that poison ivy; and while Kuzuryuu and Owada had not hurt anyone, there had been a few close calls. Thankfully, Asahina had calmed down quickly and Souda had bounced back from his depressed mood.

What bothered Naegi the most though, was Saionji's treatment of Tsumiki. Saionji had known Tsumiki for a year longer than Naegi, she should know what her actions and words would do to the Ultimate Nurse and she kept it up. Naegi didn't know what was worse: the possibility that he had come to know Tsumiki better than one of her classmates; or the chance that Saionji did know and did not care.

Naegi knew Saionji had a kind side to her, but her actions since the previous weekend made that very difficult to remember. So, aware that he may come to regret this later, Naegi had gone into the kitchen to get Saionji a "drink." Naegi wasn't sure which of his senpai from Class 76 he had to thank for the appearance of the mouthwash, but the color gave it the appearance of a clear fruit juice, something Saionji wouldn't be suspicious of.

Once Naegi had returned from the kitchen he gave Saionji the glass of sour mouthwash. Saionji took one sip and spat it back out. "BLAH! WHAT DID YOU JUST GIVE ME?!" she demanded to know.

"Mouthwash. I'm hoping that at the very least it does something about that mouth of yours," Naegi told her. By this time, all eyes were on the two of them.

"How dare you? Did you forget your place?" Saionji asked angrily. Naegi talking back to her combined with the sour aftertaste was had her shaking in anger.

"I haven't. And I'm prepared for whatever comes from this, but I'm done looking the other way," Naegi answered. Taking a deep breath, Naegi started to speak again, "Saionji-senpai, I believe that we've all been more than patient with you. Now I can only speak for myself, but I can't take it anymore. Other people do not exist for your amusement."

By this time, the humiliation of being scolded by someone who was beneath her had mixed with Saionji's anger causing her to shed angry tears.

Naegi felt guilty but he pressed on. "I can understand wanting attention. I can understand that you may have a reason for your attitude. If you want attention, just be honest with us. As for your attitude, you are old enough to know better. I know you've hidden behind your appearance. I know you've hidden behind enablers. I'm saying it needs to stop. Otherwise you may find yourself in trouble and it will be all your fault, and you may not believe this right now, but I would hate for anything to happen to you Saionji-senpai. Because believe it or not, I do actually think we're friends."

After Naegi took a deep breath he turned to everyone else and said, "I'm sorry I spoiled dinner for all of you. Yukizome-sensei, I'll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate, but right now, I need some fresh air." With that, Naegi left the room and stepped outside.

The tension in the air was so thick, the girls thought that they might suffocate from it. Being used to tense situations, Ikusaba decided that it would be for the best if she broke it. "I guess that had to happen at some point, but I never thought Naegi-kun would be the one to do it."

"What?! You agree with him?!" Saionji screamed. This was embarrassing for her.

"Saionji-san, we've all tried to be patient with you. I don't know what's going on, but you have been going too far lately. As your teacher I should have stepped in and corrected your behavior last year. I thought that, as you and your classmates grew closer, you would mature on your own," Yukizome explained. The young teacher couldn't help but feel like this was her fault to some degree.

"How?" Saionji asked. She was already angry and now that it seemed that the others agreed with Naegi, Saionji just got angrier.

"Hiyoko-chan did put tacks in Sayaka-chan's shoes," Mioda said.

"I found that odd. I would have thought that they would get along considering how important dancing is to both their talents," Sonia added.

"Huh? I'd prefer it if you didn't compare my dancing with some idol's cheap frolics," Saionji said snottily.

Maizono who had been silent until now, spoke up, "Saionji-senpai, you focus on traditional dancing, so I'm sure you think very highly of it. I can respect that. I'm sure from your perspective, idols are just young amateurs dancing on stage. Even so, it's a wonderful job that brings smiles to many people's faces. That's what I think."

"And...? What about it?" Saionji asked.

"Up until last week, I would have respected your opinion. I also like to think that I can take a joke. What you did was no prank, if it hadn't been for Tsumiki-senpai's treatment and Kimura-senpai's medicine I wouldn't have been able to practice with my group last week," Maizono explained.

"Yeah, whatever," Saionji said dismissively.

"I almost ate poison ivy because of one of your 'pranks,'" Owari complained.

"If you were dumb enough to fall for it, you deserve it," Saionji said with a chuckle.

"What kind of attitude is that? Who would look after Owari-senpai's family if something happened to her?" Asahina asked, mortified.

Saionji felt slightly guilty for that, but she wasn't going to admit it and so she just huffed and crossed her arms.

The complaints kept coming: Her treatment of Souda; riling up Kuzuryuu and Owada; what she did in the infirmary; her rudeness to Asahina; and everything since then.

At this point, Saionji had had enough. "You're all a bunch of babies. Everything worked out, so what's the problem?" she asked.

"Hiyoko-chan, that's enough!" Koizumi shouted.

Saionji couldn't hide her shock. "M-mahiru-nee?" she asked looking betrayed.

"Hiyoko-chan, you owe everyone an apology for your behavior. I've stood up for you before because you're my friend, but looking back, I think you've taken advantage of that. I can't be your enabler anymore," Koizumi said. It hurt because she knew Saionji would be upset. _This is for the best though. I've looked the other way too many times. Please try to understand, Hiyoko-chan,_ Koizumi thought.

Saionji started to tear up at that. "I thought you were my friend!" she screamed as she ran out of the room.

"Hiyoko-chan," Koizumi called after her.

"Let her go, Koizumi-san," Yukizome said.

"Sensei?" Koizumi asked.

"Let her calm down first. I'm sure she's just embarrassed and upset. I'm sure she'll come around," Yukizome said.

"Y-yeah," Koizumi said. She wasn't crazy about the idea of leaving her friend like this, but Yukizome had a point.

"Well, I need to talk to Naegi-kun. I can't refuse to punish him just because he had a point," Yukizome said as she got up.

Naegi would have to serve some detention during the next week, but Yukizome had gone easy on him since she felt responsible for not reigning in Saionji's behavior sooner. Dinner proceeded and everyone went to bed expecting things to go calm down the next day.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Class 77-B Homeroom_

 _Fourteenth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Having been at Hope's Peak for a year already, Class 77-B should have known that things would not calm down. The girls of 77-B hadn't said anything, but somehow, news of what had happened had spread. And while most of the class was kind enough to try to avoid discussing the events of the previous evening, one student, one of Saionji's favorite targets, found the whole thing hilarious.

"Pfft! Hahahahaha! He seriously called out the Ultimate Brat? That is awesome," Souda said as he laughed at Saionji's expense.

"Shut the hell up, you stupid ass virgin, grease monkey!" Saionji screamed as her face turned red in embarrassment.

"*Snicker* Careful, I might have to get that Naegi kid in here," Souda replied through more laughter.

"Souda-kun, t-that's eno-enough," Tsumiki said. As much as Tsumiki disliked how Saionji treated her, she still felt bad for the other girl. _I don't really have a reason to stick up for her, but Saionji-san is still my classmate,_ she thought.

"I'm sure Hiyoko-chan feels bad enough as it is," Koizumi added. Saionji hadn't said a single word to her all morning. _I'm sorry Hiyoko-chan, I wish this hadn't happened. But I can't pretend you didn't deserve some kind of punishment. We're just lucky that it was Naegi-kun and not someone dangerous,_ Koizumi thought.

Souda calmed down enough to say, "She couldn't possibly feel bad enough. She's been doing this crap since last year. Don't tell me any of you forgot what she did with that aphrodisiac?"

Koizumi frowned and answered, "I don't think any of us forgot, but you shouldn't make fun of her for this."

"If it were any one of us, she'd be laughing her ass off at us," Kuzuryuu said.

"Mmm," Koizumi grunted. It wasn't exactly a stretch to believe that Saionji would do something like that, but Koizumi didn't want to admit it.

"Alright, my little Rotten Oranges, take your seats!" Yukizome ordered as she entered the classroom. She had been discussing Naegi's punishment with the Headmaster, Kizakura, and, for good measure, Ishimaru. At the very least, no one could say she was going easy on Naegi even though she did agree with him.

Class had proceeded smoothly, although the atmosphere was rather subdued. Once it had ended, Saionji left without saying a word. The class had noticed, but most of them were of the mind that Saionji would get over this and be back to her normal self before too long. Tsumiki and Koizumi were some of the few that did not share that sentiment.

Tsumiki hoped that Saionji would learn something from this. She also felt guilty. Naegi had assured her that it didn't matter who Saionji picked on, he knew when he asked Kimura and Ando for the mouthwash, he would need to use it at some point, even if Saionji had been picking on someone else. That didn't mean that Tsumiki didn't feel partly responsible for the current mood. _I-I need to stand up for myself more. If I had, Saionji-san wouldn't be avoiding Koizumi-san and Naegi-kun wouldn't have detention,_ she thought.

Koizumi was sad that Saionji was avoiding her, but she believed that the dancer had to talk to her again at some point. Until then, she would try to be patient.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fifteenth Week of Classes-Wednesday_

Koizumi knew she had to be patient, but it had been days since Saionji had spoken to anyone. The dancer had avoided everyone whenever she was not required to interact with people. Once classes ended Saionji would shut herself in her room.

Koizumi wasn't the only one who was worried, the mood at the dorm felt off and everyone noticed. Besides Koizumi, the two who were the most worried were Tsumiki and Naegi.

Tsumiki didn't want things to go back to how things were, but if Saionji would stop avoiding everyone, she thought it would be a small price to pay. Everyone assured her that was not necessary, but that didn't make her feel better.

Naegi had not expected Saionji to act this way. If anything, he expected her to pout for a day or two and either learn her lesson or make him her new favorite target. He knew everyone was frustrated with Saionji, but he hadn't expected their words to have this much of an impact on her. _I guess this has more to do with Koizumi-senpai not siding with her than what I or any of the others said,_ he thought.

Right now, all three of them were outside Saionji's room. Yukizome had given Koizumi the key to Saionji's room so that she could try to talk to her friend. Tsumiki had tagged along because she was worried and Naegi had Saionji's dinner. Avoiding everyone had also involved not eating with them. She must have been eating though, the tray and the plates that Saionji's meals had been delivered on were always placed outside her door and an hour or so later they were found empty.

Naegi stood off to the side as Koizumi unlocked the door. He didn't want to make things worse by seeing Saionji when she wasn't decent, so he waited for either Koizumi or Tsumiki to let him know it was safe to enter. Koizumi motioned for him to come in, and soon all three of them were staring at Saionji's back. She was laying on the bed with her back to the others.

The only indication that Saionji was awake was when she said, "Get out."

"Hiyoko-chan, please. Enough is enough," Koizumi said.

"W-we're all w-worried about you," Tsumiki added.

"Yeah right," Saionji said dismissively.

"It's true Senpai," Naegi said.

"You. Out," Saionji ordered.

"Senpai, I'm sorry you're embarrassed, but I am not sorry that I did what I did. You are old enough to know better, and something had to happen to get you to stop," Naegi explained.

"Out!"

"Alright. I'll leave your dinner on the dresser," Naegi said as he put the tray down and left.

Once he was gone, Koizumi said, "Hiyoko-chan, I know you were embarrassed. And I know I hurt you, but none of us did what we did to be mean. Naegi-kun told me that his dad told him that people don't have time to waste scolding someone they don't care about. I thought it was weird at the time, but now I think I understand. It really was for your own good. What would have happened if you said or did something to some stranger and they turned out to be dangerous?"

Saionji was done talking and just waited for the others to leave.

"Alright. Hiyoko-chan, we'll try to give you your space. Just know that we're still your friends. We all are. That didn't change just because we got mad at you," Koizumi said as she and Tsumiki left.

When they had shut the door, Tsumiki asked, "I-is this my fault? Would it be better if I…?"

"No Mikan-chan. Looking back, I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner. It's partly my fault, even when I knew Hiyoko-chan was wrong, I stood up for her. You should not have had to have put up with everything for as long as you did and I'm sorry I didn't do anything for you sooner," Koizumi said.

"Koizumi-san," Tsumiki said. It meant a lot to the young nurse that someone was apologizing to her.

"All we can really do is wait. Hiyoko-chan has to come around eventually," Koizumi said. She just hoped that "eventually" got here soon. Tsumiki did too.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm Common Area_

 _Fifteenth Week of Classes-Saturday_

Naegi, Koizumi, and Tsumiki were by themselves in the common area discussing a matter of great importance. That matter was, of course, Saionji. She was no longer spending all of her time in her room; she had now begun to avoid everyone.

"I didn't think Hiyoko-chan would stay mad this long," Koizumi said, depressed that her friend still refused to talk to her.

"M-maybe i-if I let her kick me or…" Tsumiki began to say.

"None of that Tsumiki-senpai. You shouldn't have to suffer just so Saionji-senpai is in a good mood," Naegi told the nurse. Turning to Koizumi, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Senpai, I'm sorry this is happening. I wanted to teach Saionji-senpai a lesson, not ruin friendships."

Koizumi felt her cheeks heat up at gesture before she said, "I-it's not your fault Naegi-kun. We all probably should have waited until Hiyoko-chan calmed down before we piled on."

Oblivious to the effect he was having on Koizumi, Naegi said, "That might be true, but I still kicked things off. It's only right that I take responsibility and fix it. I promise, I'll find a way to get Saionji-senpai to understand. You two will be friends again before you know it!"

Naegi's sudden burst of confidence and his promise to her caused Koizumi's blush to intensify until her face was the same color as her hair. Koizumi momentarily lost her ability to speak and just nodded. She then felt a chill run up her spine. She looked and saw Tsumiki looking at her with vacant eyes, but for some reason, that terrified her. For some reason, Koizumi felt like Tsumiki was planning to perform unspeakable acts of torture on her.

Thankfully, for Koizumi, Naegi then turned to Tsumiki and said, "And don't worry, Tsumiki-senpai, just because I'm going to try to fix things doesn't mean things will go back to the way they were. I'm sure once Saionji-senpai gets over this, things will be even better and you two will be great friends."

Happy for the attention, Tsumiki's scary look disappeared and she nodded and smiled. She was sure that she could trust Naegi's words. _My Beloved wouldn't lie to me,_ she thought.

"Do you have a plan, Naegi-kun?" Koizumi asked. She was a little unsettled by Tsumiki's change in demeanor earlier but thought that maybe she had imagined it. _Mikan-chan would never hurt anyone, it must have been my imagination. Something about Naegi-kun makes it hard for me to think clearly. I wonder if…_ She stopped that train of thought right there. There would be time to think about what Naegi was to her later, Saionji came first.

"Well, I need to catch her in a good mood first. If she still isn't talking to us at dinner, I'll try to make her something as a peace offering for tomorrow. It might take some work but good old-fashioned anmitsu, daifuku, dango, dorayaki, or even taiyaki might at least get her to listen. I'll need to see what we have on hand," Naegi said.

"Hiyoko-chan does love her traditional sweets," Koizumi admitted. Still, she hoped Saionji would be in a better mood this evening. _I wonder what Hiyoko-chan is doing right now?_ Koizumi asked herself.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

What Saionji was doing right now was working off some anger. Today, that took the form of stomping ants. Sometimes she imagined that they were Naegi and her former "friends."

"Stupid Servant! *stomp* Stupid Pig Barf! *stomp* Stupid Mahiru-nee! *stomp*" Saionji yelled in between each stomp. She was so busy stomping ants that she didn't notice that someone had joined her.

"You're by yourself killing ants? What are you, some troubled teen?" a voice asked. Saionji looked up and saw Enoshima.

Saionji was not in the mood to be judged by Enoshima and became indignant, "Huh? Me, troubled? That's impossible...I mean, quit eavesdropping on me, you creep!"

"I wasn't eavesdropping, I'm just a girl who can hear a pin drop from 100 miles away," Enoshima said.

That nonsense explanation just annoyed Saionji further. "Ugh, seriously!? What the heck!? You're just as bad as Tanaka!" Saionji shouted.

Enoshima just kept going and said, "Geez, don't be so mean! We're blonde pigtail buddies, y'know!?"

"I don't remember being your buddy!" Saionji shouted. She had come out here to get away from everyone, she didn't need crazy balloon-breasted bimbos bothering her.

Enoshima's entire personality changed and were those…mushrooms growing out of her head? She then said, "Oh...me neither. I guess we're just overlapping characters, then...what despair."

"What's your problem!? Do you even understand what I'm saying!? We're not alike at all!" Saionji screamed. _I don't want to deal with any of you. Not you! Not Servant! Not Pig Barf! And not Mahiru-nee!_ Saionji screamed in her mind.

Enoshima's personality shifted again. This time she was making a pose that Saionji thought she recognized from somewhere before she said, "Yes...understanding. Nothing ties us together...nothing will come of this...it's meaningless."

"Then go away! Geez!" Saionji ordered.

Enoshima shifted once again. This time, it was her normal public personality before saying, "Alright, alright. I've had my fun. I just thought that you might want this." Enoshima then handed Saionji a flyer for a tea house with tomorrow's date and a time written on it.

"What is this?" Saionji asked as she looked over the flyer.

"I just thought that you might want to get away from campus for a while. I made you a reservation at that place for a chaji. You know, show some support. Not everyone is mad at you, I found your pranks and insults hilarious," Enoshima explained while flashing her winning smile.

"Don't do things for me behind my back!" Saionji shouted. Then she became shy and said, "But, I guess I can go since you went to trouble of getting me a reservation."

"Glad to hear it! Make sure you have something special to wear for tomorrow though, you know how these things are," Enoshima said.

Saionji went back to her normal self and said, "Don't tell me what to do. Also, thanks, I guess." With that, Saionji left.

Enoshima stayed behind and once Saionji was gone, she said, "I'd warn you to be back before sunset because of how dangerous it can be, but you did say not to tell you what to do." Enoshima's smile was all teeth.

* * *

 _Suburb Near Hope's Peak-Tea House_

 _Sixteenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

 _Well, I have to give that bimbo credit, this place looks pretty good. It's a little out of the way though,_ Saionji thought as she took in the tiny building in front of her. It had the shōji windows and sliding doors made of wooden lattice covered in a translucent Japanese paper. From what she could see of the interior, it looked to have tatami mat floors and a tokonoma alcove. Most importantly, it had simple, subdued colours and style.

As Saionji entered, she examined the other guests in attendance. _Good to know some people still appreciate the old traditions,_ she thought happily. After she had finished her preparations, she joined the other guests outside at the waiting bench. While she was waiting, she saw that there was a group of girls her age in attendance and she suddenly wished Koizumi had come with her. She pushed that feeling aside quickly though. _I'm fine on my own. It doesn't bother me in the least if a group of weaklings want to play nice together while I'm here by myself. Who needs Mahiru-nee or any of the others?_ Saionji's attempts to convince herself only served to depress her. It was no small relief that the hostess arrived to summon the guests for the ceremony. As she bowed to the hostess, Saionji told herself, _Don't think about the idiots back at school. I'm here to take my mind off of them._

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

Saionji may have been trying not to think about everyone back at the dorm, but there were certainly people there thinking about her. Naegi in particular was trying to prepare the desserts he had mention to Koizumi the other day. It had been going rather smoothly: he had managed to make daifuku, dango, dorayaki, and taiyaki successfully. Getting the taiyaki shaped just right was difficult but hadn't proved impossible. Naegi thought he had probably started earlier than he needed to, but when Saionji had left, she didn't say where she was going or when she would be back.

With four desserts mostly ready there was only one left, anmitsu. As Naegi went to retrieve the agar-agar he would need, his luck decided that he had been having too easy of a time. Naegi tripped on thin air and landed on the pouch of agar-agar causing it to burst open and for the powder to spill out onto the floor.

"Just my luck," Naegi said as he got to his feet and proceeded to clean up the mess. The sound of the package attracted some of the resident of the dorm as Koizumi, Tsumiki, and others came to check on Naegi.

"Naegi-kun, are you alright?" Koizumi asked. She saw that Naegi was covered in powder, but he seemed okay.

"Y-you're not hurt, a-are you?" Tsumiki asked as she tried to find any visible injuries on Naegi.

"I'm alright everyone, I just tripped. I do need to go out and get more agar-agar for the anmitsu I'm making now though," Naegi said as he finished cleaning up. Looking at his hoodie and pants, Naegi then said, "Hopefully I can change, get agar-agar, come back, and finish before Saionji-senpai comes back from wherever she went."

"Naegi-kun, I think you have the right idea, but don't you think you might be over doing it? I doubt Saionji-senpai could eat all of this," Maizono said as she looked at the desserts Naegi had already finished.

"Oh, I'm sure she can't, but I just want to be absolutely sure I have something she won't turn down," Naegi said as he left the kitchen and headed to his room to change. Before going upstairs, he said, "I hate to ask, but could you girls keep an eye on those desserts? I told Owari-senpai and Asahina-san about what I was doing so they shouldn't try to eat those, but they might think those are extra since I'm not here."

"I'll take care of it," Ikusaba told him.

"Thank you, Ikusaba-san," Naegi said with a grateful smile.

"Shall I accompany you, Darling?" Sonia asked, hoping to both get some alone time with her future husband and also experience grocery shopping with him like a normal couple.

"I appreciate the offer Sonia-senpai, but it's just agar-agar, I should be back soon," Naegi assured the princess. With that, he went to his room to put on clean clothes and grab his wallet. _I hope Saionji-senpai doesn't get back before I do. I mean she shouldn't. It isn't like it should be difficult to find what I need. I wonder where she went and what she's doing,_ Naegi thought as he left the dorm for the nearest grocery store.

* * *

 _Four Hours Later_

 _It should not have been this hard to find agar-agar,_ Naegi thought as he tried to get his bearings in an unfamiliar part of town. Every store he went to, agar-agar was either not stocked or sold out. While he did finally find it at an out of the way store that specialized in traditional sweets, he had absolutely no idea where he was. It seemed to be a suburban area, but it seemed a little out of the way.

 _Great. Saionji-senpai is probably back at the dorm already. What am I gonna do now?_ Naegi thought. As soon as he found someone to give him directions, he made his way towards Hope's Peak.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

As it turned out, Saionji had not returned to the dorm. The tea ceremony had ended a little while ago, but Saionji wasn't ready to go back to Hope's Peak. Once the ceremony had ended, Saionji had decided to get dinner somewhere rather than go back and associate with the "traitors."

Luckily for her, there was no shortage of choices for restaurants near Hope's Peak Academy. Unfortunately, any restaurants that served traditional food and didn't seem too crowded were a little out of the way. Saionji could have looked past that if it weren't for all the drunks and the poor quality of the food. On top of that, it took forever to be served food. The portions were large, but the flavor was lacking. _Guess that's the secret to enjoying the food here, being shitfaced drunk,_ she thought snidely.

After that underwhelming meal, the sun had already begun to set. "Great! They'll all probably bitch at me for staying out so long," Saionji grumbled. Deciding not to delay the inevitable, Saionji headed back towards Hope's Peak. She hadn't noticed before, but she had a bad feeling about this part of town. It didn't look bad when the sun was up, but now that it was starting to get dark, some unsavory shops seemed to be opening for the night.

"What did I wander into?" Saionji asked herself as she looked around taking in all the shops. She was so busy looking around that she walked right into someone. She fell back and felt something wet and strong-smelling spill on her kimono.

"Ugh! Watch it!" Saionji screamed.

"Sorry 'bout that," a male voice slurred.

"You *hic* really need to watch yourself. Never know who you'll run into," another inebriated voice said before laughing at their own joke.

Saionji looked and saw two teenage boys, both red in the face, maybe slightly older than her. Bleach blonde hair, tan skin, piercings, and clear signs of being drunk. Both were stereotypical delinquents except both were on the scrawny side. Both were holding bottles of beer, with one having beer down the side of the bottle, a clear sign that it had spilled.

"You stupid punks got beer on my kimono," Saionji said, her frustration clearly overriding her common sense.

"Watch it Girly. I apologized, didn't I?" the first one asked.

"You can wash a stupid kimono, but what are you gonna do about my buddy's beer? Can't get that back," the second one said.

"You better pay to wash this 'stupid kimono' or the cops are going to hear about you losers and your underage drinking," Saionji retorted. Given that the two of them were scrawny and it was just two, Saionji thought that if she bluffed enough, they would give up and run with their tails between their legs.

"You better pay for my beer, you stuck-up, little bitch," the first delinquent said.

"I got it," the second said as he grabbed for Saionji.

Saionji tried to get away, but felt a hand enclose around her wrist before she was pulled towards the two drunks. The one who grabbed her was deceptively strong.

The first drunk rummaged around Saionji's kimono before pulling out her wallet. Opening it, he found it empty of money. "No money? Well that's too bad for you. If you'd have accepted my apology you could have been on your way, but now you had better pay me back."

"Hey Ichiro, now that I get a good look at her, she's not half-bad," the delinquent holding her said.

"L-let me go a-and I promise I won't tell the cops," Saionji said as the seriousness of the situation hit her.

"Well would you look at that, Kenji, a Hope's Peak student, and an 'Ultimate' at that," the first one, Ichiro, said as he pulled out Saionji's student ID.

"Well now, that works. A pretty, little thing like this and an 'Ultimate?' I think I know how she can pay us back," the second one, Kenji, said with a perverted grin as he and his partner dragged Saionji into a nearby alley.

"N-no! NO! SOMEO-mmmph," Saionji started to scream before Kenji covered her mouth.

"That mouth of yours isn't saving you. That mouth is what got you into this mess," Kenji told Saionji.

"Ain't no one coming for you. Don't worry. You'll love your new home. You won't have to worry about your kimono either. You'll have plenty of new clothes," Ichiro chuckled.

"Think they'll mind if we test the merchandise?" Kenji asked. He didn't wait for an answer though as he tore Saionji's kimono.

"Time to put that mouth to good use," Ichiro said as he started to fumble with his pants. He didn't get very far before a metal trash can lid hit the back of his head.

"What the-?" Kenji asked before a shopping bag filled with trash hit him in the face and he released Saionji in shock.

"Get away from Saionji-senpai!"

* * *

Naegi had gotten lost. He knew it. He wasn't too proud to admit it. He had gotten turned around somewhere and was further away from Hope's Peak than when he started. It didn't help that all the back streets looked the same. After finding someone who pointed him in the right direction, he figured he'd be back

He had been getting numerous texts asking where he was. His admirers (a detail about those girls he was oblivious to) had sent him the most. He answered each of them individually and assured them he was fine. It was when he got to the last one, a message from Ikusaba, he saw Saionji and two unsavory looking men. When he saw them grab Saionji, he typed, **I think Saionji-senpai is in trouble. Need help. Possibly police. Sending location now.**

 _Never been more grateful for WhatsApp in my life,_ Naegi thought as he sent the message and followed the punks and Saionji. While he was doing that, he was doing his best to scope out escape routes and anything he could use to get the punks away from Saionji. Thankfully, the alley had no shortage of garbage cans. Naegi grabbed a lid but didn't think he could throw a second one in time. Naegi looked at the shopping bad and then at the contents of the garbage can. Once he moved the agar-agar powder into a large pocket of his hoodie, after opening it, just to be safe, he held the now empty bag open and used it to scoop up some garbage. Naegi thought that this should buy him and Saionji enough time if the lid and bag hit their marks. _If not, well, I'll worry about that when it happens. I need to save Saionji-senpai now,_ Naegi told himself as he saw one of the punks fumbling with his pants.

Time to put that mouth to good use," the punk said as Naegi tossed the metal trash can lid like a frisbee. Luckily, it hit the back of the punk's head, causing him to abandon the zipper on his pants and grab the back of his head in pain.

"What the-?" Kenji asked before Naegi threw the shopping bag filled with trash. That hit Kenji in the face and causing him to release Saionji in shock.

"Get away from Saionji-senpai!" Naegi ordered. His usual gentleness gone.

"S-servant?" Saionji said, not believing that someone had come to her rescue. Yet there he was, Naegi Makoto, the boy who had humiliated her; the boy she wanted nothing to do with five minutes ago, had come to help her. He wasn't exactly imposing, but to Saionji, he looked like a superhero.

While Kenji was trying to get garbage juice out of his eyes, Ichiro recovered and charged at Naegi. "You little bastard!" he yelled.

Naegi tossed some agar-agar powder at him and got Ichiro right in the eyes.

"Ahh! You little shit!" he yelled.

Naegi dashed for Saionji and grabbed her hand. "Senpai, we need to go now!" he yelled.

Saionji nodded and ran with Naegi down the alley and hopefully to safety. The punks soon recovered and pursued the two students. The alleys and back streets were like a labyrinth, Naegi and Saionji hoped that they could lose the two punks before they caught up, but their pursuers were faster than they looked. Saionji attempted to slow the delinquents down by knocking over whatever she could to obstruct their path.

While they managed to put some distance between themselves and the punks, Naegi and Saionji ran down another alley and with branching paths. Making a quick decision they picked a path hoping to elude their pursuers. It turned out to be the wrong decision as they soon came to a dead end.

"What *huff* do we do *puff*?" Saionji said as she tried to catch her breath.

Naegi took off his jacket and covered Saionji so that she wasn't as exposed, something Saionji was grateful for. Even while running, she had tried to hold her kimono together to preserve her modesty. "Sorry I didn't do that first Senpai, but getting away seemed more important," Naegi said as he looked around. Backtracking came with too much risk of running into the punks, so all Naegi could think to do was hide Saionji. He removed his hoodie and placed it on the ground behind some garbage cans; took out the agar-agar powder; and grabbed Saionji's shoulders and sat her on top of his hoodie. After resending their location via text, Naegi handed Saionji his phone and said, "Saionji-senpai, whatever happens don't make a sound. Ikusaba-san and the others should be here soon but keep resending our location so they can find us. I'm not going to let those two near you," Naegi said before he and Saionji heard rapid footsteps. The punks were close.

Saionji couldn't even nod to let Naegi know that she understood. _I did this. I just had to insult some random drunks. If Servant, no, if Naegi-onii hadn't shown up those two would have…_ Saionji shuddered at that thought.

In an attempt to reassure her, Naegi ruffled her hair and smiled, as if to say, "Everything will be alright." Naegi wasn't really sure he believed that, but he wasn't going to show that to Saionji. He told Saionji he would protect her, and he would. He took a deep breath and waited. Soon the punks closed in.

"Alright you little bastard, where is the girl?" the punk who tore Saionji's kimono, Kenji, demanded to know.

 _Good, they didn't see Saionji-senpai. I guess they're still a little drunk,_ Naegi thought. Steeling himself Naegi said, "Look, gentlemen, you're both drunk, maybe you should go home and sleep it off before you do something you can't undo."

"Do we look like we ever regret anything we do?" Ichiro asked.

"I guess not, but I thought it was worth a shot," Naegi admitted as he shrugged his shoulders.

"We tried being nice, but your little girlfriend decided she wanted to be tough," Kenji said.

"I'll admit Saionji-senpai never knows when to quit, but there's no justification in the world for what you two were about to do," Naegi said, still trying to talk them both down and buy time.

"That little bitch needs to learn that there are consequences. She couldn't pay with money, so we'll make her pay in other ways. Once we're done with her, we know someone who is into traditional girls. She's got a mouth, but she can probably be trained," Ichiro said.

"Her being an 'Ultimate' should help too," Kenji added.

"So, what I'm hearing is that this isn't something that can be blamed on the booze?" Naegi asked. He hoped Saionji would remember this. With any luck this information meant that these two wouldn't get off easily.

"Enough of this shit! Tell us where the girl is!" Ichiro screamed.

"I'd never let you two near Saionji-senpai, you're both out of luck," Naegi said resolutely.

"You're the one that's out of luck, kid," Kenji said as he and his friend charged at Naegi.

Naegi decided to test his luck with another trash can lid. He threw this lid at the punks, but this time they were ready for it and dodged. Naegi didn't have time to try the agar-agar powder again, as Kenji grabbed him and slammed him against one of the alley walls. While Kenji held Naegi, Ichiro began to beat the hell out of him.

"Feel like talking now you little shit!?" Ichiro asked mockingly.

Naegi, who was now sporting a black eye, numerous bruises, and blood on his face, said, "We've got nothing to discuss."

"Wrong answer," Ichiro said as he pulled out a knife.

Saionji couldn't take anymore. "STOP! Don't hurt him!" Saionji said as she ran out from behind the trash cans.

Fortunately, Ichiro didn't get the chance to use his knife as a loud "bang" was heard and the knife was shot out of his hand.

The punks, Naegi, and Saionji looked at where the sound had come from and saw Ikusaba Mukuro glaring at the punks. She looked ready to murder those two for daring to hurt Naegi.

"Ikusaba-san. You're here," Naegi said, relieved that help had come.

Saionji was even happier than Naegi. This night had been terrifying and now it looked like it was almost over.

"Ikusaba-san, you shouldn't run off by yourself," a gruff, female voice said as Ogami Sakura appeared, with Pekoyama Peko close behind. Pekoyama said nothing as she drew her sword.

Ichiro and Kenji could see that they were caught but weren't quite ready to give up. Both of them pulled out a knife and grabbed a hostage. Ichiro grabbed Naegi while Kenji grabbed Saionji.

"Let us go or these two are fucking dead!" Ichiro screamed at the girls as he held a knife to Naegi's throat. Kenji held a knife to Saionji's throat and just nodded in agreement.

The girls glared at them before Ikusaba put down her gun and Pekoyama sheathed her katana and placed it on the ground. Ogami growled but made no move to oppose the two while her friends' lives were at risk.

Deciding to gloat a bit, Ichiro said, "That's right. We're gonna walk out of this alley and once we're gone, we may consider letting these two go."

"Shame your girlfriends weren't able to save you, runt," Kenji added with a laugh.

Their victory was short-lived though as Ichiro felt a prick on his neck and collapsed.

Kenji was so shocked he loosened his grip on Saionji before he had something smashed into his head before his world went dark.

Naegi and Saionji looked over and saw Owari, Tsumiki, and Koizumi standing behind them. Tsumiki had a rather large, almost comically so, syringe with an odd liquid in it. Naegi vaguely recalled seeing something like that in the infirmary. If he was correct, it was a muscle relaxer. Koizumi was holding what looked to be the remains of…

"Mahiru-nee, your camera!" Saionji exclaimed.

"It's just a camera. You're more important to me Hiyoko-chan," Koizumi said although she still gave the remains of her camera a sad look. She meant it of course, but Koizumi still had a lot of memories attached to the camera.

"How did you get behind us?" Naegi asked.

"Hehe, these two held onto me as I climbed over the wall," Owari said proudly.

"Thanks for coming everyone," Naegi said as he looked at all of his friends.

"Everyone at the dorm wanted to come, but some of them had to bring the police," Ikusaba said.

"When you texted that Hiyoko-chan was in trouble we got here as fast as we could," Koizumi added.

"W-wasn't Sonia-san with your group, Ikusaba-san?" Tsumiki asked.

"She was right behind us, but…" Pekoyama began.

"Step away from my friend and my Darling!" a regal voice yelled. Soon, Sonia Nevermind appeared with a rather large…bazooka? "Is it over?" Sonia asked as she saw the punks on the ground. "Darling, I'm sorry. I came as fast as I could, but I fear my weapon slowed me down," Sonia explained.

"It's fine Sonia-senpai, but don't you think a bazooka is a little extreme?" Naegi asked.

"Not at all. If lives are in danger, then I as a princess and as your future bride must…" Sonia began.

Now that the mood had changed, Saionji had time to take everything in. _Everyone came to help me. Mahiru-nee destroyed her camera to save me. Pig ba-, no, Mikan-nee came after how I've treated her. Naegi-onii got hurt because of me,_ Saionji thought. She was safe, but she never felt worse. She had mistreated these people and they still came to help her. She had been dismissive, bratty, and petty, but her friends came because Naegi had told them she needed help. Saionji felt disgusted with her behavior. She wanted to say something, but the police showed up to take the punks away and both Saionji and Naegi were escorted to the hospital to be treated for injuries and in Saionji's case, to check for any signs of sexual assault.

* * *

 _Later That Night_

Everyone had made it back to the dorm safely. Saionji was still a little shaken up by the events of the evening, but physically she was fine. Naegi had been treated, but Tsumiki had forced him to rest and recover and said that she would get some medicine from Kimura in the morning. Right now, Koizumi, Tsumiki, and Saionji, who had since changed into a new kimono, were in the dorm common area.

Koizumi noticed that Saionji had been quiet since she had come back to the dorm but looked like she wanted to say something.

"Hiyoko-chan, are you okay?" Koizumi asked.

Saionji broke down in tears and yelled, "I'M SORRY! I'm sorry I was mean! I-I'm sorry you had to break your camera, Mahiru-nee! I'm sorry for how I've treated you, Mikan-nee! I-I *hic* *sob*!" Two pairs of arms wrapped around Saionji, calming her down, Koizumi and Tsumiki just held onto their friend until she calmed down.

After a while, Saionji did in fact calm down. Once she had, she remembered that there was something about the night's events she didn't understand. "How did Naegi-onii find me?"

"He was buying agar-agar for anmitsu," Koizumi said. She explained that Naegi had promised to fix things between the girls and his plan involving desserts. _He promised to fix things between Hiyoko-chan and I and he did. He's really brave for trying to protect Hiyoko-chan,_ Koizumi thought fondly. Koizumi remembered that her mother had once asked if Naegi was her boyfriend. While Koizumi had been embarrassed by the question at the time, she couldn't help but think that she wouldn't mind having Naegi as her boyfriend.

Tsumiki was quiet throughout Koizumi's explanation, but she couldn't help remembering something Naegi had said. _My Beloved said things would be better than they were before. He was right. Saionji-san has never apologized before. My life is so much better with My Beloved in it,_ Tsumiki thought.

Saionji was touched by what she heard. _He was there for me. He was doing all this work for me_ , she thought as her face turned red thinking of all Naegi had done and had planned to do for her. Once she had processed all of that, she said, "Naegi-onii is really amazing."

"He's certainly very reliable," Koizumi said.

"He's perfect," Tsumiki added.

"We know," another voice said. The three turned and saw Ikusaba and Naegi's other admirers.

"If you three have feelings for my Darling as well, I have a solution that I believe will make all of us happy!" Sonia said.

* * *

 _Present Day_

The girls all had to come back to the present there. Sonia's serious offer of being Naegi's mistresses was embarrassing. Although Tsumiki's reaction had been worse. The nurse had thrown a scalpel at her classmate. Thankfully, Ikusaba had caught the implement and since then had been able to protect the girls from this new side of the Ultimate Nurse the others had dubbed "Yandere Mikan." It wouldn't have mattered if she didn't though. Naegi had done so much for them it was hard not to fall for him, even if it was dangerous.

Naegi was oblivious to all of this however, it was just him being himself. It was hardly anything praiseworthy, but if you asked his admirers, that was just part of his charm.

Reminiscing had caused Naegi to remember something important though. "Oh, those punks will be going to trial soon. We might need to testify against them," he said.

"I really don't want to have to see those two," Saionji said as she shuddered at the thought of seeing them again.

"Hey, we'll be there too, don't worry," Naegi said as he put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Koizumi was jealous at the attention Saionji was getting but nodded in support. Tsumiki, however, was grabbing something in the pocket of her apron. Saionji and Koizumi feared it was something sharp.

Luckily, they were saved from finding out by the arrival of one of Naegi's classmates as the large form of Yamada Hifumi ran towards the Luckster. "Naegi-dono, help! Celes-sama is going to kill us all!" he yelled.

Naegi couldn't imagine what had set Celes off, but he knew that he stood a better chance of talking her down than Yamada. He turned to his current companions and said, "Looks like Yamada-kun needs my help. I'll see you three later," before running off.

The girls weren't exactly thrilled that Naegi was going to see another one of their rivals, but they wouldn't stop him from trying to help others. Plus, they had seen Celes angry. An angry Celestia Ludenberg was almost as terrifying as…

*thunk*

A scalpel had been lodged into a nearby wall courtesy of Tsumiki. Whenever she was particularly jealous of another girl getting attention, she had discovered that throwing sharp objects helped to calm her down. That was probably another reason why Yandere Mikan had not made too many appearances lately, in addition to the threat of retaliation by Ikusaba.

"I think we should call it quits on practice for today," Koizumi said as she looked at the expression on Tsumiki's face and then at the scalpel in the concrete wall.

"Agreed" Saionji said.

* * *

"So Yamada-kun, what happened?" Naegi said as he followed Yamada to Celes's location.

"Well Naegi-dono, Celes-sama enlisted the help of Hagakure-dono and myself regarding a serious matter this morning. As you are well aware, Hagakure-dono does not always think before he speaks and…well, you might hear it as we get closer," Yamada explained.

Naegi could indeed hear screaming as he and Yamada kept going.

"I FUCKING DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN HAGAKURE!" That was indeed Celes's voice.

 _I would not want to be Hagakure-kun right now,_ he thought as he and Yamada approached the enraged gambler and cowering clairvoyant.

* * *

 **That's all for now, oh readers, mine.**

 **I know some of you probably aren't too thrilled with me using an attempted rape in the story. Believe me, I would never wish something like that on my worst enemy. This was harkening back to something I had Makoto say to Hiyoko. About how she would have an attitude with the wrong people and something would happen to her. Drunk delinquents aren't exactly known for being reasonable, after all. Actually, when I was younger my Dad told me something like that. That I would "mouth off to the wrong person and get myself killed." It's brutal, but it's a very real possibility. Thankfully that never happened to me and I wasn't going to have anyone attempt to kill Saionji.**

 **Admittedly, I was worried that it was too much, but we've seen worse canonically in Danganronpa, so I guess I'm safe on that front. This is a franchise that had Fuyuhiko threaten to send Mikan to a whorehouse and then there's poor Kotoko…I'm gonna stop right there.**

 **So, Celes is up next, followed by Peko for those interested. Hope to see you then!**

 **No DanganDestiny this time, Shadowkeep is too close so I wouldn't have a complete D2 timeline for Ghost to talk about. Plus, I've kept you all waiting long enough, and I wanted to post this right away.**

 **No Devil May Cry crossover snippets this time either I'm afraid. But after Chiaki's chapter, I might start doing some omakes at the end. How does the "Sleepy Video Game Nerd" sound to everybody? Hopefully by then I'll have thought of a way to change the AVGN theme song to work with Chiaki.**

 **Anyway, that's it for me this time. See you later!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Everyday Life with the Ultimate Gambler

* * *

 **Hello once again ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ultimates of all ages! wesst1 is back in his own story!**

 **Before we get started, I would like to congratulate Pupla on a successful relaunch of his story! Congrats Buddy, I'm with you every step of the way.**

 **I would also like to congratulate The Overlord of Ice for their fic, "Strange Lovers," a Makoto/Akane story that I highly recommend. If you haven't read it yet, check it out and add it to your favorites/follow list.**

 **Next, I would like to thank everyone for the positive feedback I got for the previous chapter. I honestly thought I was playing with fire there, and maybe I was, but I'd never let anything irreversibly bad happen to these characters, their canon world had enough of that already when you think about it.**

 **But now, the focus of this chapter; your favorite Gothic Lolita Gambler and mine, Celestia Ludenberg! Or Taeko Yasuhiro if you prefer. You know, I honestly wasn't sure I'd get here. I didn't think it was a story people would be interested in. Or I'd run out of ideas. Or something else. Yeah, I worry a lot over the most trivial things. But I have great readers, and you have all kept me going. So, for the rest of the first year at Hope's Peak we have Celes, Peko, Kyoko, two chapters that I'll leave as a surprise, Chiaki, Chisa, and Junko. Then we can have some fun with their summer break, tie up a few loose ends, and come back to Hope's Peak with Sakura, Toko, the V3 girls and maybe some DR3 girls and maybe Natsumi and Sato if you all really want them.**

 **When we last left our hero, this chapter's lovely leading lady was blowing up at Hiro over something he said. What could be bad enough to get her composure to slip? Well, oh reader, mine, let's find out!**

* * *

 _Present Day_

In his time at Hope's Peak Academy, Naegi had been through a lot. Classes, extra curriculars that involved assisting in the elementary school program, hostage situations, having his organs offered as payment for debts without his consent. There was, however, one thing he knew he could never get used to: the Jekyll and Hyde-like personality of his classmate Celestia Ludenberg. _Maybe in her case it's more accurate to say Celestia Ludenberg/Yasu-,_ Naegi stopped that train of thought when he and Yamada approached Celes and Hagakure. Their male classmate was cowering in fear as Celes demanded he repeat whatever it was that set her off.

"NOT TALKING?! YOU HAD SO MUCH TO SAY BEFORE!" Celes screamed, her red eyes blazing with fury.

"I-I-I-I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it," Hagakure said pitifully.

Yamada attempted to get Celes's attention off of Hagakure, "Celes-sama?"

"DIDN'T MEAN IT MY ASS! YOU SAID IT AT LEAST TWICE!" Celes continued to scream.

"Celes-sama!"

"I-I-I'll take it back! Please don't kill me!" Hagakure begged.

This time Naegi tried to get her attention, "Celes-san?"

Instantly Celes composed herself, almost as if her rage had just been in everyone's imagination. "Oh Naegi-kun. What brings you here?" she asked calmly.

Deciding that the best course of action would be to ignore what he had walked in on, Naegi said, "Yamada-kun tells me you needed help with something."

"Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg seems to have gone missing and I enlisted the help of some of our classmates as well as Hanamura-senpai," Celes answered.

"Hagakure-dono called Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg a 'stupid cat,'" Yamada whispered to Naegi.

Naegi nodded in understanding. _That would do it, Celes-san loves that cat_ , he thought. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Naegi asked.

"My, my, it seems that it was the correct choice to make you one of my knights," Celes said.

"Celes-san, you know I would help even if I wasn't one of your knights," Naegi said with a smile.

Celes felt her cheeks heat up as she responded, "Y-yes, of course. No one knows more about devotion and selflessness that you Naegi-kun."

"Get back here!" a new voice shouted. All of those present turned to see a large cat carrying a gyoza dumpling in its mouth while Hanamura Teruteru chased after it.

"Hanamura-senpai," Celes said as she rang a bell, one Naegi believed he had seen in the cafeteria a few times.

"Celes-san, my apologies. I finished your dumplings, but then a cat came and swiped one. I was just about to make sure that it knows to stay out of my kitchen," Hanamura said.

"Do and you die," Celes said nonchalantly with her winning smile.

"Huh?" Hanamura was confused.

"I believe Celes-san asked for gyoza to help find Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg. Given that he was carrying a dumpling I guess it's safe to say it worked," Naegi explained.

"…" Hanamura didn't seem happy to find out that he had spent time making what was to become cat food.

"We should follow before we lose him," Naegi said as he turned to Celes and grabbed her hand.

"As much as I detest exerting myself, I will make an exception in this case," Celes said as she fought to keep her face from turning red.

As the two ran off in pursuit of Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg, the three boys looked at each other.

"All of that work…" Hanamura began.

"Getting that worked up…" Hagakure added.

"…just for a stupid cat," Yamada finished.

"I HEARD THAT!" Celes screamed.

The three boys gulped. They were not looking forward to what happened to them later.

* * *

As the two followed the cat, Naegi asked, "Has Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg been acting strange lately?"

"There have been times when he disappears, but it's never been for more than an hour or so," Celes answered.

"Don't worry Celes-san, we'll get to the bottom of this," Naegi reassured her.

"Of course," Celes said happily. _I can always depend on my precious B-Rank,_ Celes thought as she remembered why she made Naegi a C and then B-Rank.

Naegi smiled hearing the genuine emotion in Celes's voice. _I'm glad Celes-san feels comfortable enough to be herself around me. I worry about her being Celestia Ludenberg all the time, sometimes she needs to be Yasuhiro Taeko,_ Naegi thought as he remembered what led to Celes deeming him worthy of her secrets.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Old Building_

 _Fifth Day of Classes-Saturday After Class_

Naegi had finally found time to explore campus the way he wanted. While he had appreciated the tour Mioda had given him, she had glossed over a lot. _I have a basic idea of what room is on what floor but except for the Music Room, not the exact location,_ he told himself as he poked around on the third floor. The first room he came to appeared to be a rec room complete with a pool table, dart board, the works. As Naegi took the time to carefully examine the room, a voice caught his attention.

"Greetings. I realize that we are classmates, but I do not believe we have been properly introduced. I am Celestia Ludenberg. But I would prefer it if you called me Celes," the female voice said. Naegi turned and it was indeed Celestia Ludenberg.

"Oh yes, I'm Naegi Makoto. I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, I just wasn't sure if you or any of the other girls were comfortable enough with me to introduce myself properly. I'm sorry Celes-san," Naegi said as he bowed in greeting and apology.

"Hmhmhmm, it is quite alright. You seem to have found yourself in quite the unusual situation," Celes said with a laugh.

"Thank you for being so understanding," Naegi said gratefully. Naegi then asked, "Celes-san, if I may impose on your kindness one more time there is something I would like to ask. You *are* Japanese, right?" Naegi felt odd speaking this way, but given how Celes acted, he figured proper speech and etiquette was the best way to stay on her good side while getting to know her.

"Of course. Why do you ask?" Celes asked.

"If you don't mind...could you tell me your real name?" Naegi asked.

Without missing a beat, Celes responded, "Heh-heh. I don't know what you are talking about. Celestia Ludenberg *is* my real name. But as I mentioned, I would much rather you call me Celes."

 _She's polite, but pretty forceful at the same time. I don't think she wants to say any more about it,_ Naegi thought. He then decided to go over what he was able to find out about Celes before he came to Hope's Peak, _I guess the rumors in that thread were right about her. The self-styled "Celestia Ludenberg", she's the Ultimate Gambler who's never lost a bet. Other than her obvious love of Gothic Lolita clothes, everything about her is wrapped in a veil of lies. They say she entered and won an underground gambling tournament, earning the title "Queen of Liars." She totally cleaned out the other players, taking their life savings and laughing as she did it._

"I look forward to getting to know you better. Heh-heh-heh," Celes laughed as she left the Rec Room.

"I hope that we can be friend, Celes-san," Naegi called after her. Naegi wasn't lying when he said that, but he couldn't help thinking, _That smile is beyond deceptive. I'd better watch myself around her. Thankfully, asking about her real name didn't seem to offend her, and she does seem interested in talking again. That's good, right?_ The answer to that question would have to wait until later though, he still had this floor and two others to familiarize himself with.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Eighth Week of Classes-Tuesday_

Naegi was exhausted and understandably so. A sniper had attempted to assassinate his senpai, Sonia Nevermind. Had Naegi not tripped on the stairs when he did, Sonia would have been right in the bullet's path and… _I'd rather not think about it,_ Naegi thought as he shook his head. His friend was safe, but the sniper was still at large. As he sat in the dorm common area, he did not notice Celes approaching him.

"Naegi-kun, I must say, I am impressed," she said, alerting Naegi to her presence.

Naegi gave her a confused look before asking, "Impressed with what, Celes-san?" To the best of his knowledge, he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.

"Hmhmhmm, so you do not understand. Let me see if I can explain it. First though, I would like to share something with you," Celes said, amused at Naegi's confusion.

"Huh? What is it?" Naegi asked, still confused.

"My perfect gambling strategy," Celes answered simply.

"Is there really such a thing!?" Naegi asked, shock evident in his voice. How could there be a perfect strategy for games of chance.

"Of course, there is. Are you ready?" Celes asked. When Naegi nodded, she said, "Please pay attention. Whatever the game, you must have a mind for strategy. This will allow you increase your odds of winning."

Naegi nodded, that made sense, but it didn't sound perfect. Maybe Celes was just teasing him, but even if that was the case, he was happy to have a distraction from what had occurred earlier in the day.

"However, the exciting part about gambling is that there is power which can overwhelm any strategy," Celes continued, a serious look on her face.

Naegi was once again confused by his classmate's words. "There is?" he asked, hoping she would clarify.

Celes nodded and began by saying, "That power is," she paused for dramatic effect before saying, "luck."

"Luck?" Naegi asked. There had to be more to it, either that or, and Naegi knew he should have suspected this from the start, Celes was teasing him.

With a serious expression on her face, Celes nodded and explained. "There are only two types of luck—good and bad. There is no in-between. And that luck is built into every human at the moment of conception. Like a computer program. Some call it fate. The bottom line is luck is life. Do you see what I am saying?"

"You mean... that's your 'perfect strategy'?" Naegi asked. All that build up for something so underwhelming, Naegi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"Correct. You see. I was programmed to have good luck when it comes to gambling. This is why I have never lost," Celes told him. Her tone was even, but Naegi had the suspicion that Celes was boasting.

 _So that's all there is to it?_ Naegi asked himself, knowing that he couldn't actually answer. He would have passed the who thing off as a joke at his expense if not for the next words Celes spoke.

"You are the Ultimate Lucky Student, yes? Does this perhaps exceed my own luck? One day, I hope to put that to the test," Celes told him. Her voice never changed but Naegi knew a challenge when he heard one.

"I'd say my life's been more bad luck than good lately. Gambling's probably not a great idea for me, Celes-san," Naegi said.

"I wonder, would Princess Sonia say the same?" Celes mused. _The luck that saved a life today, I must know more about it,_ she thought.

Naegi really didn't have an answer for that. Sure, when he tripped Sonia had been there, but shouldn't that mean that Celes should be having this discussion with Sonia instead. It sounded like literally dodging a bullet had more to do with Sonia's luck than his own.

"Hmhmm. Well then, have a nice day," Celes said before she quietly disappeared.

 _Was Celes-san trying to help? I guess I didn't hide that I was worried. Maybe Celes-san is actually a very kind person when she isn't gambling,_ Naegi thought.

* * *

 _Minato Inn_

 _Eleventh Week of Classes-Tuesday_

Naegi had to admit, Sonia's idea was brilliant. After the events at the Novoselic Embassy, he really did need a break and he was sure she (as well as Souda and Tanaka) did too. He was also glad that Owari's younger brothers and sisters were able to come. While most would say that looking after so many children was stressful, and it was, to Naegi, there was something relaxing about having them around too.

"Mako-nii! Come on!" Owari Ataru demanded as he tugged on Naegi's sleeve with surprising strength for a six-year-old.

Well, it was usually relaxing. Naegi was with the three youngest Owari children: Mari, Ataru, and Suguru. The four of them were on their way to the inn's game room, the three children excited to play with their Mako-nii. When they arrived, they were treated to the sight of ping pong tables, a pinball machine, any boardgame imaginable, and…

"Celes-san?" Naegi asked, finding his classmate by herself.

"Ah, hello Naegi-kun. Hello children," Celes greeted, her usual mysterious smile on her face.

"Hello Celes-nee-sama," the kids said as they bowed.

"Hmhmhmm, adorable. Has 'Mako-nii' been teaching you manners?" Celes asked, amused by how polite the youngest siblings of her wild senpai were.

"Hai," they answered. Truthfully though, Celes made them a little nervous. Naegi had assured them that Celes was a kind person and they believed him, but she did like to tease them, and they couldn't tell if she liked them very much.

Celes, having decided to go easy on the children, turned her attention to her classmate and asked, "Naegi-kun...do you like mahjong?"

"Umm... I've never actually played," Naegi admitted.

"Is that so? A pity. I was hoping we might play together," Celes said. Her voice was as calm as ever, but Naegi thought he picked up on some disappointment.

"Are you good at it?" Naegi asked.

"Good? No, I am not merely good. I once played a game of Russian roulette mahjong and won," Celes told him.

"Russian roulette...?" Naegi asked, although he hoped that Celes wouldn't go into too much detail. Judging by the confused looks on the children's faces, he would probably have to explain Russian roulette to them. He was hoping that the rest of Celes's story was appropriate for children.

"It was a truly fierce contest, put on by a half-insane billionaire in the basement of his mansion," Celes began. "My opponents were a fierce old man and a silver-haired boy who was said to have the devil's own luck. We played with a modified rule set. I remember well the glass tiles we used..." she trailed off. Naegi could tell she was enjoying the memory

"Celes-nee-sama, did you win?" Suguru asked.

Celes looked at the five-year-old boy and said, "I defeated them both at once. I will never forget the angry, twisted looks on their faces. The crowd that been invited to watch became positively riotous. Nobody could believe I had won." Celes then started to laugh a bit, "Hmhmhm. That is one of my fonder memories."

Just before Naegi could respond, Celes began to leave saying, "I was looking forward to testing my luck against the luck that made Naegi-kun a hero, but I suppose there are other ways. Good day children. Naegi-kun." _I'll see it someday, but before that…maybe I should reevaluate Naegi-kun. He seems to understand devotion and self-sacrifice, perhaps he would make a good knight,_ Celes thought.

Once Celes had left, seven-year-old Mari turned to Naegi and said, "Mako-nii, I don't think you should play mahjong with Celes-nee-sama."

"Honestly Mari-chan, neither do I," Naegi said as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"What's 'Russian ruu-, Russian roll…?" Ataru began to ask, finding the pronunciation of "roulette" difficult.

Naegi wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that Celes told that story just to put him in this position. _I can't tell if she's my friend or if I'm just a cheap source of entertainment,_ Naegi thought as he tried his best to explain Russian roulette to the children in an appropriate way.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Cafeteria_

 _Twelfth Week of Classes_

"Celestia Ludenberg. Celestia... Ludenberg..." Most people would have found it odd that Celes was in the middle of the cafeteria saying her own name, and even Celes would admit that it was. Unlike most people, however, Celes felt the need remind herself that she _was_ Celestia Ludenberg and not Yasu-, _No, I am Celestia Ludenberg. No other name is good enough,_ Celes mentally scolded herself.

"What are you doing?" a concerned voice asked. While Celes had been lost in her own head, Naegi had come to check on her.

Collecting herself, Celes explained, "No matter how many times I hear it, I never tire of hearing my own name. Isn't it so splendidly charming?"

"It is beautiful, but I'm a little curious…why _that_ name?" Naegi asked.

Celes stared at Naegi for a few seconds before asking a question of her own, "Why?"

Naegi elaborated, "I mean, is it from something? Why'd you pick it?"

"I did not _pick_ it. My name was given to me by my mother and father," Celes said more than a little forcefully.

"So that is your real name?" Naegi asked. He knew it would be unlikely that he could trip up someone called the "Queen of Liars" but he asked anyway. He was torn. Naegi wanted to respect his classmate's privacy, but he believed that he couldn't understand her if he didn't know the truth.

"It is, indeed, my real name. Make no mistake about that," Celes said, matter-of-factly.

Deciding to switch tactics, Naegi then asked, "Okay so your parents gave you that name?"

Celes nodded and said, "That is right. My father is French nobility, and my mother is part of a German family of musicians."

 _There's no way that's true,_ Naegi thought. Naegi had a feeling that he wasn't going to get anything useful out of this conversation but decided to continue anyway. "Alright, so were you born in France or Germany?"

Celes decided to throw Naegi a curveball and answer truthfully, "Tochigi. I was born in the capital of Tochigi, which is known for its delicious gyoza." Celes had found that adding just a few bits of truth made her lies more believable.

"Utsunomiya," Naegi said.

"That is correct. You have proven you are roughly as intelligent as an elementary school student," Celes responded.

 _I guess I deserve that for prying,_ Naegi thought.

"You may be surprised to learn that I absolutely adore gyoza. I love its stench, its base vulgarity," Celes told him. That was true too. She was actually hungry for gyoza at the moment but had not found a place that met her standards. For restaurants or for gyoza. And although she had no doubts about Hanamura's abilities in the kitchen but asking him was out of the question. He was Hanamura Teruteru, that was all that needed to be said.

"If you like gyoza I know a place," Naegi said.

"Oh?" Celes asked. She doubted the place would be good enough for her, but she would at least hear Naegi out.

"Yeah, Asahina-san and I had coupons for this place called 'Spicy Ramen.' If you don't want ramen then I can at get some gyoza to go," Naegi suggested.

It was a sweet offer, as Celes would expect from Naegi and he seemed to understand that Celestia Ludenberg did not go to ramen shops. Another girl, one with a plain, unspeakable name did, but not Celestia. Still, she supposed that Naegi would not think less of her if she indulged in the pleasures of the plain. "I will think about it. Perhaps I will take you up on that offer one day," Celes said.

Naegi smiled. This conversation didn't get him as close to the truth as he would like, but he had gotten closer to Celes. Celes was happy too. Although he wasn't a vampire butler, she had to admit that she enjoyed Naegi's company. _He does have a certain charm,_ Celes thought as she felt her cheeks warm slightly.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Fifteenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

It had only been two days since Naegi had used his "secret weapon" on Saionji and while most had decided to give the situation more time, Naegi was not one of them. He probably would have felt a little better if Saionji wasn't avoiding Koizumi, but because of that Naegi felt like he had done major damage to their friendship.

 _I think I did the right thing, but I never wanted this to happen,_ Naegi thought. He had only expected Saionji to get mad at him, not the entire dorm. Unfortunately, he now knew that he was not the only one who had been fed up with Saionji. Moping wasn't like him; his optimism was his only redeeming quality if you asked him. The only bright side he could see for this was that he didn't get worse than detention for what happened at dinner two nights ago. Naegi soon got a distraction in the form of his classmate.

"Hello, Naegi-kun. I must say, I am quite troubled," Celes said gaining Naegi's attention.

"I'll help if I can Celes-san. What seems to be the problem?" Naegi asked.

"I'd like you to teach me something," Celes said simply.

"What?" Naegi asked as he tilted his head to the side, a clear sign of confusion.

"I want you to teach me how to play shogi," Celes told him.

Naegi hated that he couldn't help, but he wouldn't lie to his classmate. "Oh, uh... Sorry, I don't know how to play, either."

"I see... You really are useless, aren't you?" Celes asked. Naegi didn't hear any annoyance in her voice. On the contrary, Celes's voice had a teasing tone to it.

"Okay, ouch... But I'm surprised you don't know how to play. Is it because there's no shogi gambling circuit?" Naegi asked, trying not to be offended at being called "useless."

"Oh, there most certainly is," Celes quickly corrected him.

"What, really?" Naegi asked. He couldn't see how that could work. _Shogi tournaments aren't exactly short. Do you bet on the players? Do you ante before every move?_ Naegi continued to ask himself questions before deciding that maybe it was too confusing to think about.

"It is all underground. It is rather shady, all things considered. I have tried my own hand at it, naturally," Celes said.

"Wait, even though you don't know how to play?" Naegi asked. High-risk, high reward was one thing, but Naegi couldn't help thinking that entering a tournament based around a game she had never played was risky even for the greatest gambler in the world.

"That is why I wish to learn now," Celes explained. Her next comments were directed more at herself than Naegi, "I placed my pieces on the board without even thinking. What on Earth was I doing?"

Naegi was unable to wrap his head around Celes's thought process and just to be clear he understood, he asked, "And you still tried to win an underground shogi tournament?"

"Tried? Oh, no. I did win," Celes said as if that should be obvious.

"You won!?" Naegi asked in shock.

"I didn't really understand, but apparently my final opponent was infamously powerful. She was...rather odd. She was a voluptuous woman dressed as an exotic French maid," Celes told him.

Naegi decided not to point out Celes's own preference for Gothic Lolita style clothes and instead asked, "But... how did you win?"

"Beginner's luck, perhaps?" Celes wondered aloud. Naegi couldn't help but think she was just trying to be mysterious.

"I don't think beginner's luck works in shogi," Naegi said simply.

"Hmhmhm. Is that so?" Celes questioned with a laugh.

 _Yup. The more I learn about Celeste, the less I understand her,_ Naegi thought. As Naegi tried to make sense of what Celes had told him, he realized something. _I haven't been stressing over Saionji-senpai since Celes-san came to talk to me. Did she…?_ "Celes-san…Thank you," Naegi said.

"Whatever are you thanking me for? I simply came to ask that you teach me to play shogi and I know just as much now as I did before," Celes said as she turned to leave.

Naegi couldn't help thinking he had seen a small smile on her face as she left. Intentional or not, Celes had helped him. He may not understand her now, but he believed that he would one day.

* * *

 _Downtown Near Hope's Peak_

 _Sixteenth Week of Classes-Monday_

It was thanks to Kimura's medicines that Naegi was able to attend classes on Monday. Or rather, he was able to do so without anyone who wasn't in the alley the previous evening asking questions. He didn't really care too much about the injuries so much as he did about explaining how he got them, which would involve telling people what Saionji had gone through the previous evening. Saionji hadn't forbidden anyone from discussing it, but Naegi thought that she should be the one to tell the story, not him. Thankfully, that story had yet to reach anyone besides himself and the other occupants of the Girls' Dorm.

He was prepared for a normal day after the previous evening, so it came as a surprise to him that one of his classmates, Hagakure Yasuhiro, had said he needed help with something and begged Naegi to follow him. Naegi, being Naegi, had agreed without giving the matter much thought. While Naegi still remembered Ikusaba's warning about Enoshima, Naegi didn't believe that anyone at school, classmate, senpai, or teacher, would put him at risk willingly. So, it came as a rather large surprise to Naegi when Hagakure led him to an alley near campus where someone Naegi could only describe as a female version of Kuzuryuu and four men that, if one of them men's missing pinky finger was anything to go by, appeared to be yakuza.

"Hagakure-kun, what's going on?" Naegi asked now wishing he had declined the request.

"Don't worry, Naegi-chi, I've got it all under control," Hagakure whispered. This did little to reassure Naegi, especially since Hagakure seemed to be sweating uncontrollably.

The girl saw that and must have assumed Hagakure was going to try something because she soon said, "Alright you fucking fraud, I've been more than patient with you. I won't even count those three years you spent hiding like a massive pussy against you. But I want my money and I want it now!"

Hagakure paled and began to stutter, "I-I-I d-d-don't ex-exactly h-h-have it. B-but m-my friend here sh-should be mo-more than enough to c-cover it. I-I'm s-s-sure his organs w-will be worth e-enough to c-cover it."

"WHAT?!" Naegi shouted. When Hagakure said he needed help this was not what he had in mind.

The girl sighed and said, "It's my fault, I guess. Little bitch boys like you just can't act like real men. But I never thought you'd sell someone else out for your screw up."

"B-but I-I didn't screw up! Y-you got into Hope's Peak!" Hagakure defended.

"In the Reserve Course!" the girl seethed. _That's why her uniform looks familiar,_ Naegi thought. Naegi knew about the Reserve Course, and he didn't like it. Just because those students didn't have a talent that was considered "Ultimate" level didn't mean that they were talentless, no one had a right to decide that, not even Hope's Peak Academy. Even though he was sure he was in mortal danger, Naegi couldn't help feeling sympathy for this girl and her peers.

"I-it's true that y-you aren't a-an 'Ultimate' b-but y-you're still at Hope's Peak," Hagakure said. Naegi had no idea why he had said that. Perhaps Hagakure was worried about his reputation at the worst possible time but Naegi knew this would only serve to make the situation worse.

The girl didn't yell, but instead gave an order in a calm voice. Despite how she sounded, her rage came across loud and clear, "Kill this fucker."

"W-wait! Please," Naegi begged. Hagakure wasn't his favorite person right now, but Naegi saw no need for him to die. "He has money. Hagakure-kun, will you just pay her? You told me about the money you have saved."

"No way. That's for my retirement and my OOParts!" Hagakure shouted.

"I've had enough. Kid, walk away, or I'll have my boys kill you both," the girl warned.

"I, I can't just let you kill Hagakure-kun," Naegi declared. _Even though he probably has it coming,_ a darker part of Naegi's mind added.

"Boys!" the girl shouted.

As the men charged forward a blur shot forward and took out the four men in almost no time at all. Once the last one hit the ground the blur stopped and revealed itself to be Ikusaba Mukuro.

"Ikusaba-san!" Naegi shouted in joy. He felt bad that she had to save him twice in as many days, but he wasn't going to complain now.

"Naegi-kun, we need to talk about how trusting you are. This experience should be enough to prove to you that some are all too willing to take advantage of that," Ikusaba said, not even acknowledging Hagakure who looked as though Christmas had come early and he had gotten everything he had asked for.

Ikusaba turned to the girl and said, "Naegi Makoto isn't involved in whatever business you have with Hagakure Yasuhiro. I would appreciate it if you left him out of it."

"He got involved when he defended that lying sack of shit," the girl shot back.

Ikusaba sighed, shook her head, and said, "Of course he did. I'm sure there is a more peaceful solution."

"We are well past that point. That asshole had better have what he owes me by the end of the year or he's dead," the girl said as she walked away. She stood no chance against someone who could do that to her boys in such a short amount of time.

"Ikusaba-chi, thanks for the sav-," Hagakure never got to finish as Ikusaba punched him in the stomach causing him to hunch over in pain.

"Ikusaba-san?" Naegi asked, shocked by what his friend had just done.

"I heard everything. As much as I'd like to leave him here to face the consequences of his actions, we should take him back to school. I'm sure the Headmaster will find this interesting," Ikusaba said as she knocked Hagakure out and started to drag him. Naegi knew she could have carried him, he believed that Ikusaba just wanted Hagakure to be in pain when he woke up. Not that Naegi would ever say it out loud, but he couldn't help but enjoy watching each time Hagakure's head hit against an uneven slab of concrete.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

While Naegi was having another brush with death, Celes was in the Rec Room in the Old Building. She had no opponent; she had simply come to think while playing Solitaire. A simple game, but it always helped her think. The topic today? Naegi Makoto.

 _He does just about everything. He's kind. He's certainly brave. Yes, I do believe he is knight material,_ Celes thought. This wasn't a decision she made lightly, but it was certainly easier than she had expected it to be. She supposed Naegi was responsible for that too.

Celestia Ludenberg was a young woman who lived in a world of lies and as such trust was not something that came easier. She was not above using people and she fully expected that if someone with abilities superior to her appeared, they would do the same. She had expected that she would feel this way throughout her time at Hope's Peak, until she realized that she might have developed some affection for the people she thought she may one day need to use. She supposed she should have seen it coming, this was a school full of people who were the best of the best. Celes could use people she looked down on, but while the other students were inferior gamblers, they made up for it in other ways and she was forced to see them as her equals.

Then there was Naegi. He had no special skills to speak of, nothing approaching "Ultimate" level anyway, but he had something. What that something was, Celes didn't know, but it forced her to reevaluate the classmate she had originally written off as plain and average. Even more shocking, he didn't reject it, he almost seemed to embrace it. That is not to say that Celes believed Naegi was content to being mediocre, the fact that he tried as hard as he did in all that he did was proof that he believed that his hard work would be rewarded, but he was also not afraid to admit when he was out of his depth. He was ordinary, but capable of the extraordinary and Celes was more intrigued by that than his luck.

Another thing in his favor was his willingness to save others. After what had happened with Sonia, Owari, Asahina, and Saionji, Celes would occasionally find herself wondering if she would need to be saved by a knight in a green hoodie. Her face heated up at the very thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Bach's _Toccata and Fugue in D Minor._ Her burner phone was ringing, someone had news of an underground gambling tournament. Deciding that it might be worth her while to hear whoever was calling out, Celes answered, "Hello?"

"Is this Celestia Ludenberg?" a male voice asked.

"It is. Who is this?" Celes asked.

"Alright, alright, alright! Sister, you're not an easy person to contact, you know that. Anyway, my name isn't all that important, I'm something of a drifter, and Sister, I have the opportunity of a lifetime for you," the man said.

"Drifter, then. What could you possibly have to offer me?" Celes asked ready to end the call if he didn't get to the point.

"'Drifter?' I like it! Anyway, the major yakuza families are holding a Poker tournament near Hope's Peak Academy, and since your old pal Drifter runs in some…unusual circles, guess who was asked to bring in some of the big names of the underground gambling world?" Drifter asked.

"Why would yakuza want any outsiders at a tournament they are holding?" Celes asked, skeptical of the man's story.

"Sister, you think the players are the only ones betting? The heads of the various families are betting on the players. Not just money, but territory and parts of their businesses. Usually after drinking it over of course. A lot less bloody. Guess getting their suits cleaned after every disagreement got too expensive. And Sister, you don't want to see a room after drunken yakuza get done with 'business,'" Drifter answered.

"Why bring in outsiders?" Celes asked.

"So that their people can't be accused of cheating. Sending in one of their own is just asking for trouble with the other families. What's to stop the Shikabane clan from accusing a Kuzuryuu player of cheating for their boss? Doesn't matter if it isn't true, these families know not to trust each other. Nah, the less their own people are involved the better as far as they're concerned. Course, nothing is stopping them from inviting anyone they want as long as the buy in is covered, but they figured they needed some real high rollers to keep it fair. Fair for them anyway, not the poor suckers they personally invite," Drifter said with a laugh.

"…" It sounded appealing, but Celes wasn't sure she trusted this man.

"Tell ya what, you go to Hope's Peak, or so people say. Well so do the Kuzuryuu kids. Ask one of them if you won't take my word for it. I'll call back tomorrow. Hope you'll join us. It won't be the same without the 'Queen of Liars,'" Drifter said as he hung up.

Celes wasn't sure what to make of this. On the one hand, it sounded like a good opportunity to get closer to her dream. On the other, Drifter wasn't what she was used to in a contact, and that made her suspicious. She supposed that she could do as he suggested and ask her senpai, Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko about it. With that in mind, Celes decided to head back to the dorm for now.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Cafeteria_

 _Sixteenth Week of Classes-Tuesday_

Naegi was still a little jumpy from his ordeal yesterday. Who wouldn't be? It's not every day that a classmate tries to sell you organs without your consent because he owes one of the largest Yakuza clans in Japan money. Naegi was happy that he had the support of his friends though, but for some reason, once Ikusaba had told the others what Hagakure had tried to do, Naegi had a feeling Hagakure had more to be afraid of than yakuza.

"Oi, Naegi!" a male voice called out.

Speaking of yakuza, standing at the entrance of the cafeteria was the Ultimate Yakuza, Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko. Naegi was dreading a conversation with Kuzuryuu, but he supposed he couldn't avoid one. So, he responded, "Hello Kuzuryuu-senpai."

"You're in an unusual position right now, you know that?" Kuzuryuu asked.

Naegi gulped and said, "I know."

"Did you know what was going to happen in that alley?" Kuzuryuu asked.

"No, Senpai."

"You realize what can happen to you for trying to protect that fraud fortune-teller?"

"Yes, Senpai."

"So why did you do it?"

"Hakagure-kun did lie to me. He was willing to sell me out just so he wouldn't have to pay back his debts with his own money. And quite honestly, I don't know if he actually learned anything from this. That said, he's my classmate, I couldn't let anything happen to him if I could help it."

"A guy with balls and honor. I can respect that. Are you familiar with Yakuza Code?" Kuzuryuu asked.

"Not really, no," Naegi admitted.

"The old Yakuza code emphasized respect for the common people. Back then, a victim of the Yakuza had to choose to become a victim. For example, no one forces someone to buy drugs from the Yakuza or spend their money at one of their brothels or gambling dens. Or say my sister, who despite everyone telling her not to piss away money on fortune-telling bullshit, did it anyway and got pissed off that things didn't go the way she thought they would. On the other hand, Yakuza would help those who were not given a choice in becoming victims. Like say someone who had their home burglarized, got mugged, was lied to and found out that someone was trying to sell their organs," Kuzuryuu put a lot of emphasis on that last part.

"I'm not sure I follow," Naegi said, confusion evident on his face.

"You and that girl with the freckles are safe because Natsumi's problem is with your classmate. That debt is going to have to be repaid at some point, but that's not your problem. The family discussed it last night and we decided that you didn't force yourself into Yakuza business, you were dragged into it. Don't push your luck though," Kuzuryuu explained.

Naegi sighed and said, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Kuzuryuu-senpai."

"Just so there's no hard feelings, here," Kuzuryuu said as he handed Naegi two slips of paper. One had an address, but Naegi had no idea what the second one was. Seeing Naegi's confusion, Kuzuryuu explained, "That will get you into a Poker tournament that the different Yakuza clans are hosting this Saturday. I figured an Ultimate Lucky Student could benefit from something like that. It covers the buy-in. We plan to start by 9:00 so try not to be late. Best of luck." With that Kuzuryuu walked away.

Naegi knew he couldn't turn this offer down and offend Kuzuryuu, he just hoped that he didn't humiliate himself or Kuzuryuu by losing right away. _Warehouse C at the docks? I'm worried but if I were a target for Yakuza, I doubt they'd waste time inviting me to a Poker tournament. I guess I'll be there Saturday, I better get permission from the school to be out,_ Naegi said to himself before going to lunch.

* * *

 _Meanwhile_

While Celes had every intention of speaking with Kuzuryuu at lunch, she noticed both the Ultimate Yakuza and Naegi speaking at the entrance to the cafeteria. While Celes would never admit to it, even she knew that she had a problem with eavesdropping, but to be fair, since psychology was as much a part of gambling as luck or skill, it was useful. Knowing others' secrets always helped when she needed to keep them off balance.

 _So, Drifter was telling the truth,_ Celes realized as she listened in. It saved her the trouble of finding an opportunity to speak with Kuzuryuu. She wasn't too sure this tournament was something to be spoken of in public and didn't want to jeopardize what she believed would be easy wins. _More importantly, this gives me the opportunity to test my luck against Naegi-kun's,_ Celes reminded herself. Naegi might not have believed her when she had told him, but Celes was serious about testing her luck against students whose talent was "luck."

Just as Naegi and Kuzuryuu had finished, and Celes decided to go to lunch herself, her burner phone rang. Celes knew that Drifter had said he'd call back today, but it seemed a little early for that. Still, she had made her decision, so she figured now was a good a time as any for this conversation. With that in mind she answered. "Drifter?"

"That's me. Now when you do what I do, you develop a sixth sense about a lot of things. Danger, opportunity, things like that, and something told me you're ready to RSVP," Drifter explained.

"My, that is a rather terrifying ability, but you would be correct. I will be happy to join this weekend," Celes said.

"Now we're talking. The buy-in is ¥2,000,000. Those invited by the Families don't need this, but everyone I invite needs a password, yours is 'Joker's Wild.' The location is Warehouse C at the docks. Things get started at 9:00pm on Saturday. You know how to get there?" Drifter asked.

"I believe I do, but one of my classmates will also be in attendance, I will just go with him," Celes told the man.

"Getting close to one of your marks? I can respect that. See you there, Sister!" With that Drifter hung up.

Celes put her phone away and proceeded to get lunch. Although she didn't show it, she was eager to see what Saturday would bring.

* * *

 _Docks Near Hope's Peak Academy-Warehouse C_

 _Sixteenth Week of Classes-Saturday_

It was the evening of the tournament and both Naegi and Celes were at the specified location. The warehouse had indeed been converted for the night's purpose: poker tables had been placed throughout the warehouse; lighting was excellent; and oddly enough, there were cameras around each of the tables.

 _Closed-circuit cameras? I guess they did that for space. That would explain why I haven't seen Kuzuryuu-senpai,_ Naegi thought. That only served to make Naegi more nervous. This was new to him and underground gambling wasn't exactly what one would consider safe. He wasn't sure who he would be playing against and in the unlikely event that he did well, who could say that some of the players wouldn't react violently?

Seeing Naegi's nervousness, Celes decided to speak to him. "It appears fate wants us to be close friends, Naegi-kun. Being invited to the same tournament, it cannot be anything else."

"I guess," Naegi said with a shaky voice.

Celes's voice adopted a dramatic tone as she said, "Let me share with you something. I will tell you about the biggest crisis I ever faced in my gambling life."

Naegi tilted his head in confusion before asking, "Biggest? You had a gambling crisis?" _I guess even the Ultimate Gambler has off days,_ Naegi thought. His curiosity piqued, he asked, "What happened...?"

"A shadowy organization was hosting a mysterious tournament... The game in which I participated was called the King of Liars," Celes began.

"King of Liars?" Naegi asked.

Celes nodded and continued. "It was quite a severe game. When you enter, they strip you of all your assets. Money, property, everything. You must use your wisdom, cunning, and luck to battle through challenge after challenge. For the final match I had to face off with an odd duo. They called themselves the Honest Woman and the Liar Genius."

"Whoa, they sound pretty scary," Naegi said. Although he couldn't help thinking that those titles needed work.

Celes waved her hand after Naegi's comment and said, "Oh, that part is not important. But during a break, I was careless and spilled some tea on my clothes. I was terrified the stain would never come out. That was a very difficult time in my life."

"Huh?" Now Naegi was confused.

A completely serious look on her face Celes finished, "I was forced to win more quickly than I wanted to, so that I could rush to the cleaners. I was able to get the stain out, but it was perilously close. If I had waited even another hour, I would have been forced to throw out my favorite dress."

"..." Naegi had no words. None he would say out loud at least. _That was her "crisis"? The biggest crisis she ever faced...? I just... don't even know what to say,_ he thought.

Celes noticed that even though he was confused, Naegi didn't look nervous anymore. That was good, Celes wanted to test her luck against Naegi and if he dropped out too early because of nerves she might not get that chance.

A few more minutes passed before a friendly male voice called out, "Hey! There's my favorite high school student!"

Naegi recognized the voice as belonging to the man who told him about Spicy Ramen. He looked exactly as Naegi remembered him: same hoodie; the hood was up; same blue eyes; and the same jovial tone. "Hi! You weren't kidding about Spicy Ramen. I don't think I can eat at another ramen shop anymore. I've actually been meaning to find you and pay you back for what the owner charged to your tab."

"Ah, don't worry about it. I gotta start checking the dates on those coupons," the man said. A clucking noise drew everyone's attention to the man's side. Under the man's arm was a chicken.

"Uhh…" Naegi struggled to find a way to ask his question.

"This little lady is my good luck charm. Colonel meet…uh…" the man started as he realized that he didn't know Naegi's name.

"Oh, Naegi Makoto," Naegi said as he extended his hand.

"Colonel, Naegi. Naegi, Colonel. Tonight, I'm going by Cayde. Like 'spade' but with a 'C'," the now identified Cayde introduced.

"Should she be worried? I mean a chicken named 'Colonel'…" Naegi began.

"Nah, just thought it would be funny," Cayde answered. Looking past Naegi, Cayde finally noticed Celes and began to introduce himself, "Hey there! As I was just telling my new friend here, my name is…"

"Cayde. Yes, I heard. I am Celestia Ludenberg. But I would prefer it if you called me Celes," Celes said.

"Oh boy, good thing I brought you tonight, huh Colonel?" Cayde asked as he recognized Celes's name.

By this time, more people were coming in and their hosts had decided to get things started. "Alright Mavericks, ready to hear what you're playing tonight?" a man asked rhetorically. Celes recognized the voice and was glad to finally be able to put a face to it. The man Celes had called "Drifter" looked like a large man with broad shoulders, but that might have been the heavy looking coat that he was wearing. He was a bearded man with a weather-beaten face. There was a smirk on his face, for what reason was anyone's guess. He continued, "Omaha hold'em! Get ready! Don't mind the cameras, friends of ours from Eito Studios were happy to lend them to us for tonight. Our gracious hosts will be watching from a different location, guess they figure a bunch of yakuza families being here in person would unsettle some of you. Now I invited some of you, but some of you are guests of the Kuzuryuu clan, the Shikabane clan, the Kitaki family, the Seto group, or the Edomae group. Hope none of you plan to cheat, heheheh!"

Naegi didn't plan to cheat, but the threat the Drifter implied made him gulp all the same.

Drifter continued, "Now, show your invites or tell your passwords to one of my associates and have your buy-in money or voucher ready. We'll get you set up at a table with your chips. Best of luck!"

Once he was finished, the players did as they had been told and were placed at one of the various tables set up inside the warehouse. Naegi and Celes were placed at different tables, much to Naegi's relief. He didn't expect to last too long, but he knew that Celes would knock him out of the tournament right away. The last person to be placed was Cayde, who seemed to be discussing Colonel's eating habits with the Drifter.

"She eats only sesame seed muesli, and drinks spring water with a sprig of parsley. Don't be afraid to let her roam a bit," Cayde said.

"Whatever you say Brother. If she gets in the way I might just have to introduce her to another Colonel we're all familiar with," Drifter replied.

* * *

Naegi was glad he studied up on the different types of poker. Omaha hold 'em is a community card poker game similar to Texas hold 'em, where each player is dealt four cards, instead of the two as in Texas hold'em, and must make his or her best hand using exactly two of them, plus exactly three of the five community cards. The five community cards are dealt face up in three stages. The stages consist of a series of three cards, "the flop", later an additional single card, "the turn" or "fourth street", and a final card, "the river" or "fifth street". Players have betting options to check, call, raise, or fold. Rounds of betting take place before the flop is dealt and after each subsequent deal. The player who has the best hand and has not folded by the end of all betting rounds wins all of the money bet for the hand, known as the pot.

It was a lot to take in, but it wasn't the hardest thing he'd ever done, and it had gotten him to the last game of the night. With him were Celes, not that he was surprised by that, Cayde, who he was thankful for since Cayde was another friendly face. Finally, the was a woman there. She didn't really stand out much, and if Naegi thought that, it was certainly true. She had short, blonde hair, was of average height, and was dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans. She seemed friendly enough, but something about her seemed off. It was probably how she introduced herself.

"Hajimemashite! Watashi no namae wa Yasuhiro Taeko desu! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!" the woman greeted in a very enthusiastic manner.

Naegi couldn't help but notice that Celes froze up upon hearing the woman's name. Cayde looked slightly confused by the woman's enthusiasm. So Naegi took it upon himself to greet the now identified Yasuhiro Taeko.

"Hi, I'm Naegi Makoto. Pleased to meet you." It wasn't that Naegi wanted to be unfriendly, but given that this was a yakuza sponsored tournament, he couldn't exactly get comfortable.

"Just call me Cayde," Cayde said simply.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Celestia Ludenberg," Celes said almost robotically once she had composed herself. Naegi found that strange. Nothing ever flustered Celes.

 _Maybe Celes-san and Yasuhiro-san have a history,_ Naegi thought.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited for my first ever trip to Japan," Yasuhiro explained.

"Sorry Yasuhiro-san," Naegi noticed Celes flinch when she heard that name, "but your name is-."

"My parents were Japanese, but they moved to America for business. Eventually they became naturalized citizens and had me," Yasuhiro explained.

The look on Cayde's face said he didn't believe a word of that story and Naegi couldn't help but agree. Her accent suggested she was American, but Naegi believed that this woman's name was "Yasuhiro Taeko" as much as he believed that "Celestia Ludenberg" was his classmate's real name. Even her explanation of her name sounded like the one Celes had used. Before any more questions could be asked, Drifter came over and started the final game of the night.

* * *

Naegi couldn't believe that this was real. He and Cayde were holding out pretty well, much better than Naegi would have expected when going up against the Ultimate Gambler. The thing was, the person having the best night was not his classmate Celestia Ludenberg, it was the mysterious woman Yasuhiro Taeko, but Naegi didn't think it was due to any talent on Yasuhiro's part. Naegi had noticed that anytime Yasuhiro had a winning hand, she would share details about her life.

Yasuhiro had claimed that she was ignored and friendless because of how unremarkable she was.

Celes had bet a tenth of her night's winnings and lost that hand.

The next time hand Yasuhiro won she had claimed to be someone who was so overly plain that she had been isolated most of her life.

Celes bet a quarter of her night's winnings that time and lost once again.

Now it was happening again.

"As ashamed as I am to admit it, the only thing I ever had going for me was my gambling talent. Of course, back home in the States kids are forbidden from gambling in school so it really didn't help me make any friends," Yasuhiro shared. Seeing it was her turn to ante, she said, "I raise."

Naegi was next. "I fold." Feeling thirsty, he began to get up and asked, "I'm going to grab something to drink, can I get anyone anything?"

"Sake please," Yasuhiro said.

"I'll take whiskey if they have it, but anything with alcohol works for me," Cayde said. Since the they were waiting on him, he said, "I fold."

Drifter had a flask on him, so Naegi didn't expect an answer from them.

Celes didn't answer either, she was too focused on Yasuhiro. Naegi figured he couldn't go wrong with water.

As Naegi was getting everything, he was grateful that there were trays for beverages. He knew there was someone who had been serving refreshments all night so he could have just asked, but they had stepped out and Naegi didn't know where they were and didn't want to wait. Given that Drifter hadn't stopped him, he figured it was okay to serve himself and the others anyway. While he was doing this, he could hear Celes say, "Your stories are impossible."

Naegi saw Yasuhiro smile before she responded, "I assure you Celes-san, everything I have told you has indeed happened."

Celes growled and said, "I raise," as she pushed half of her chips into the pile at the center of the table. As Naegi made his way back to the table, he couldn't help but feel bad for his friend. This was not the calm and collected Ultimate Gambler, something about Yasuhiro Taeko's stories caused Celes's mask to crack and it was going to cost her. The strange thing was, Celes was not playing badly. She had won plenty of hands, but Naegi and the others were being cautious of the Ultimate Gambler, so the pot never grew too large when Celes won the hands. It was only when Yasuhiro was sure she would win that she would share alleged details of her life and then throw Celes off. It was almost like she was cheating somehow.

Before Naegi could think about it further, he felt something brush against his leg. Naegi tried to avoid stepping on whatever it was and lost his balance. The beverages ended up scattered with the contents of Cayde's glass of whiskey ended up all over Yasuhiro, who stood up in shock at having whiskey spilled on her. She was about to yell at Naegi before she saw what had caused him to trip. "Stupid bird!" she said as she pointed at Colonel.

"Sorry about that. I'll pay for cleaning," Cayde said hoping to calm Yasuhiro down and keep Colonel from getting too scared.

"I'm so sorry," Naegi apologized. Naegi turned to their host/dealer, he had heard Celes call him Drifter, and asked, "Are there any towels?"

Before Drifter could answer he saw something in Yasuhiro's ear. He then told Naegi that the towels were near the drinks. Once Naegi had returned and cleaned up the mess as best he could, the round had ended in Yasuhiro's victory which had pacified her slightly.

It was short lived however, as Drifter grabbed Yasuhiro by the shoulder and pulled whatever it was in her ear out. It was a wireless earbud, a small one that was simple enough to hide. It looked like all of the ones Drifter and the other dealers had been using that night. Drifter heard a familiar voice coming through the little speaker. Drifter had sent an announcer for the benefit of the yakuza families watching and it was his voice Drifter was hearing.

"You want to explain how you got this, Sister?" Drifter's voice was calm, but it promised dire consequences if Yasuhiro lied. Looking into one of the cameras set up around the table Drifter asked, "Could one of our gracious sponsors do your old pal Drifter a favor and bring my announcer in here?"

It didn't take long for announcer to be brought in by some low-level yakuza. It was revealed that "Yasuhiro Taeko" and the announcer were brother and sister. The announcer had indeed been helping his sister cheat. After some interrogation at the hands of both the yakuza and Drifter the siblings explained everything. Their father was a man Celes had defeated in game of Russian roulette mahjong, the fierce old man Celes had told Naegi about. They explained how their father had continued to lose everything to gambling when the shock of losing to a young girl had never worn off. Their mother left soon after and their father eventually died in the gutter. They had been planning their revenge on Celes for some time, both for their father and for the inheritance they would never receive. They finally got their opportunity in the form of this tournament when the announcer had suggested that Drifter invite his sister who was using the alias "Yasuhiro Taeko."

Unfortunately for them, their cheating had embarrassed one of the yakuza families who had been betting on "Yasuhiro Taeko" all night. The Shikabane clan was not a clan known for mercy and being forced to do damage control would only make things worse.

The siblings seemed to have accepted their fate though. "Yasuhiro" even seemed a little happy after she saw Celes. "Are you afraid, Celestia Ludenberg?" she asked.

"W-why should I be afraid? Why would I be afraid of someone who uses a loser name like 'Yasuhiro Taeko?' You're the ones who pissed off the Shikabane clan," Celes said as her mask slipped again.

"Why did you use the name 'Yasuhiro Taeko' anyway?" Naegi asked.

"The real one refuses to use it," "Yasuhiro" said before the yakuza took the siblings to their boss.

It wasn't much, but Naegi thought he understood. Before Naegi could give it more thought, Drifter's voice and hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

"I owe you one Brother. You and the chicken both. Can't have something like this making me look bad. Tell ya what, since the tournament's over, you three should probably split what our soon-to-be dearly departed friend won amongst yourselves and get out of here. You don't want to be here for yakuza business," Drifter said.

Drifter didn't need to tell them twice. Celes, Cayde, and Naegi cashed out the chips and left the docks as soon as they could.

"Well, that happened. You two think Spicy Ramen is open this late?" Cayde asked.

"It's almost midnight Cayde-san, and I don't think Colonel would be allowed in anyway," Naegi said.

"Good point. Well, we avoided getting cheated, made some money, and didn't piss off the yakuza, sometimes that's the best you can hope for. See you star side kids," Cayde said as he and Colonel left.

When Naegi was sure that Cayde couldn't hear them, he turned to Celes and asked, "Celes-san, I think I already know the answer, but what is your real name?"

"I believe that I have told you, Celestia Luden-, no, Yasuhiro Taeko is fine," Celes answered. Her voice never wavered but Naegi thought she seemed sad.

"After tonight I guess I understand, the underground gambling world doesn't seem safe, I guess a pseudonym is necessary," Naegi said.

"That's not it. Everything she said tonight was true. I was plain. I was friendless. Isolated. That's why I reinvented myself as Celestia Ludenberg. I tried so hard to erase Yasuhiro Taeko and that bitch was still able to find out about my past. If she could so can others. I am afraid. I don't want to be Taeko, I'm Celestia Ludenberg," Celes said as she started to tear up.

"I like them both," Naegi said simply.

"Huh?" Celes asked, tears still threatening to fall.

"I don't know if it's Celestia Ludenberg or Yasuhiro Taeko who has been my friend this whole time, but I've certainly appreciated it. I don't really stand out among all the Ultimates, but you've always made time to talk to me and whether it's because Celes-san wanted to tease me or Yasuhiro-san was feeling lonely, it doesn't really matter. I've appreciated it all the same," Naegi said.

By this time, Celes had hidden her face from Naegi and said, "I am not sure that you quite understand how ridiculous you just sounded." Naegi was about to respond to that before he saw a tear drop fall from Celes's cheek and heard her whisper, "Thank you, Naegi-kun."

Naegi smiled but decided not to comment, people didn't change instantly after all. Instead, he held out his arm and asked, "Shall I escort you home, Milady?" If being "Celestia Ludenberg" meant that much to Celes, he would play along.

"You may Good Sir," Celes said as she wrapped her arm around Naegi's and leaned against him. She was glad it was dark. It kept Naegi from seeing the blush on her cheeks.

* * *

 _Hope's Peak Academy-Girls' Dorm_

 _Seventeenth Week of Classes-Sunday_

Celes was glad that the day after the tournament was Sunday, she probably couldn't have focused on school today anyway. She had been thinking since last night. Naegi knew her secret so there was no need to put it off any longer. She was going to ask him now. She found him in the common area with his admirers, all of whom were listening to him talk about the events of the previous night.

"So that guy really does have a pet chicken?" Asahina asked.

"Yeah, he named her 'Colonel.' She's apparently his good luck charm," Naegi responded.

"Is anyone getting hungry for KFC hearing this story?" Owari asked.

"Oh, I believe the phrase to use here is, 'I see what you did there!'" Sonia said excitedly.

"No, I think she was serious," Koizumi said.

"A-are you alright, Naegi-kun? I-I've never had a patient that tripped over a chicken, but I'll try my best if you're injured," Tsumiki said.

"I'm fine Tsumiki-senpai," Naegi assured her.

"Which is amazing considering you spent the night participating in an underground poker tournament," Ikusaba commented.

"I didn't want to insult Kuzuryuu-senpai," Naegi defended.

"Oh, Hiyoko-chan does that all the time," Mioda interjected.

"Not what he meant. And I'm getting better," Saionji told Mioda with a pout.

Celes decided to take her chance now while the other girls seemed distracted. "Umm... Naegi Makoto-san?"

"Celes-san? What's with the formality?" Naegi asked. He was shocked that she was acting so timid.

"Well... you see... I was hoping we could talk. Just the two of us," Celes explained. She then asked, "Could you come to my room, please?"

"Y-Your room!?" Maizono exclaimed, not liking where this was going.

Celes ignored her and said, "I will be waiting." Celes left the common area to wait in her room, leaving Naegi and the girls to wonder what it is she wanted. Although the girls had a pretty good idea, Naegi had a more innocent idea of why Celes wanted to talk to him.

"I guess she wants to talk about last night," Naegi said. _This probably has to do with her secret,_ he thought as he got up and followed Celes.

Maizono felt a headache coming on before she sighed and said, "This is getting out of hand." The other girls agreed, but they knew that they wouldn't want Naegi to ever change.

* * *

Naegi reached Celes's room quickly enough and knocked on her door. She opened it right away and said, "I'm glad you came, Naegi-kun."

Naegi scanned the room and saw Victorian-style clothes, decks of cards, what looked to be a suit with plastic vampire fangs next to it (he figured it was best not to ask), and a rather fat cat. It had a dopey look on its face but Naegi didn't say that. "I didn't know you had a cat, Celes-san."

"Yes, that is Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg. He is my constant companion. He's been quite taken with this room since we arrived at Hope's Peak Academy," Celes explained.

Naegi nodded and then asked about why he was in Celes's room, "Anyway what's going on? Why'd you ask me to come here?"

Celes took a deep breath and said, "I received the results."

Naegi was confused. "Results?"

"The child growing in my belly... It's yours," Celes answered.

Naegi's deadpan expression showed that he was not amused.

Celes saw that her little joke fell flat but decided to keep going, "Wait, sorry. Wrong results." Celes then said, "Congratulations! You have moved up a rank! You are now C-rank."

"Huh? C-rank?" Naegi asked. He couldn't tell if Celes was still playing around or not.

"Oh, I have a habit of ranking those around me," Celes explained.

That didn't exactly clear things up. "What kind of habit is that?" Naegi asked.

Celes began to explain. "The most common is D-rank. I have no interest in D-rank. Most everyone at this school fits into that category."

Naegi thought that sounded kind of mean, but he nodded. At least Celes was beginning to make sense.

Celes continued, "The worst is F-rank. If you're F-rank... Well, I pay a special organization to have you killed. Your very existence is unforgivable."

 _I doubt that. At least the organization part. Although the Russian roulette mahjong story was real, so maybe I should just be grateful I'll never find out if she's telling the truth or not,_ Naegi thought.

"Conversely, the very best is A-rank. But among everyone I have met, across all countries, I have never found a B-rank, let alone A-rank. So, you being promoted to C-rank is a very great honor," Celes said happily.

"I see," Naegi said. He didn't really, but he was hoping he would soon.

Continuing her explanation, Celes said, "Also, when you become a C-rank, you gain the right to become my official servant—a knight."

"Wow, I had no idea," Naegi said. That was true, he doubted anyone would ever have expected any of what Celes was telling him.

"I have knights all across the world. They are all quite obedient. I recommend you take me up on this offer. If you do your very best as a knight, becoming the first B-rank may be well within your grasp. Perhaps even... A-rank. I can't be sure, but I feel like you may have the potential," Celes explained.

Naegi couldn't be sure but he had a feeling that he was beginning to understand what it was Celes wanted from him.

"Hmhm. So, as a knight, please be prepared to give your life for me," Celes said. It almost sounded like she was pleading.

The meaning in Celes's words was clear to Naegi. "Please stay by my side." _If being "Celestia Ludenberg" means so much to her, I'll play along. Maybe she can learn to love "Yasuhiro Taeko" one day too. Then maybe we can truly understand each other one day,_ Naegi thought. Deciding to play along, Naegi knelt down and took Celes's hand and said, "Lady Celestia Ludenberg, I swear on my life to stay by your side as your knight. From now until the day I die, whenever you find yourself in need, I shall answer your call."

Celes didn't expect Naegi to play along but was actually happy that he was. Teasing him was more fun when he could give as good as he got. More than that, she had a warm feeling in her chest when he swore to stay by her side. Celes gained a knight, but Taeko gained a true friend. Perhaps he would be more than that one day. "Your oath is…acceptable. Now rise. You may take your leave when you are ready," Celes ordered. As Naegi rose, Celes thought, _You may be closer to B-rank than I initially believed._

Celes followed Naegi out the door and said, "Work hard and you may get that promotion sooner than you think."

"I look forward to it Celes-san," Naegi said as he left finally breaking character. Playing along with Celes was fun but he couldn't do it all day.

Celes heard movement behind her and turned to see her competition. "Aiming for the big prize, ladies? Come to admit defeat? Or maybe hedge your bets?"

* * *

 _Present Day_

 _And of course, Sonia-senpai seriously suggested the third option. But whether it is money or love, I play to win,_ Celes thought as she and Naegi caught up with Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg near the part of the school grounds that had been allocated for Tanaka's animals.

"Why would he bring that gyoza here?" Naegi asked as he and Celes came to a stop.

Celes shrugged showing she was as confused as Naegi. The two saw the large cat enter one of the many shelters and followed. Inside they saw Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg along with another cat and…

"Pekoyama-senpai?" Naegi asked.

"Naegi-kun? Celes-san?" Pekoyama asked as she noticed their presence. Whatever was going on must have been important for them to be able to sneak up on the Ultimate Swordwoman.

"Is that Miyabi? Is she alright?" Celes asked.

"She's about to have kittens. Grand Bois Chéri Ludenberg is just looking out for her and their babies," Pekoyama explained.

Celes managed to keep from gushing while Naegi just smiled. Peko had come a long way in a short amount of time. _I can tell that she's still hurting, but she's getting there,_ he thought as he saw Miyabi rub her head against Pekoyama's hand.

Pekoyama was ecstatic but kept herself composed. When the school year had started, she never would have thought she would be doing something like this with adorable cats. It wasn't that long ago that animals feared her. Even though she didn't get to this point without pain and loss, she had gained enough that a balance of sorts had been struck. She turned to Naegi and thought, _You showed me that I could keep going when I thought I had nothing left. That I had value. That I was more than just a weapon. Thank you so much, Naegi-kun._

* * *

 **And that's a wrap for now. I hope you liked it.**

 **This was a hard chapter to write, nothing about Celes is straightforward and her Free Time Events give almost nothing to work with. I ended up using parts of the manga and I don't even know if the DR1 manga is considered canon.**

 **Told you I would consider bringing Cayde back in this chapter. The Drifter was a spur of the moment decision, and probably a sign that I'm happy about Shadowkeep, which I am. I needed a host and he was the first one that popped into my head. And of course, I couldn't forget about every guardian's favorite hen, Colonel.**

 **So yeah, what started as an idea where Naegi helped salvage a disastrous night at a yakuza sponsored poker tournament ended with Naegi and Colonel salvaging a disastrous night at a yakuza sponsored poker tournament where Celes had to face the fact that she would always be Taeko. Add Naegi showing her that Celes and Taeko don't need to be two different people and you have this chapter.**

 **I was going to make Fake Taeko (Faeko?) be a full blown weeaboo but couldn't do it. So, I just did her introduction and left it at that. Translation below for the curious:**

" **Hajimemashite." This translates to "Nice to meet you."**

 **"Watashi no namae wa _ desu." (wah-TAH-shee no nah-MAH-eh wah _ dess). It means "My name is _." If you're using your full name, say your surname first.**

" **Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." Pronounce it (yor-OH-she-koo oh-nay-guy-ee-shee-mass). This translates roughly to "Please be nice to me."**

 **Now for the part you probably won't like, I'm going to take a break until January 2020. I'm just not going to have the free time I would like to work on this story until then. So, I hope you can all wait until then for Peko's chapter.**

 **Until then, read and review and I'll see you later.**


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